Through the Mirror
by Tara.B Amy
Summary: yyxy AU. Yugi Mutou is able to look through the Mirror. And what does he see there? Or rather... who? Chapter Eleven up! Chapter Eleven: There's still the distrust standing between them like a barrier. And the lack of understanding.
1. Prologue

Through the Mirror  
by Tara B Amy  
  
Tara: Hi, everybody! I wrote this little Fanfic for you! Yeah, be aware, it's gonna be YY/Y and AU! So, if you don't like shônen-ai, please leave. You've been warned.  
  
Yugi: Who said that I like my yami?  
  
Tara: I said that!  
  
Yugi: Um... what if I don't?  
  
Yami: You don't?! *whine glare*  
  
Yugi: Of course, I do!! But...  
  
Yami: But?! There are no Buts!!  
  
Tara: *grin* No Buts! So let's go on to the story!  
  
Yugi: But...  
  
Yami: Aibou!!  
  
Yugi: You forgot the DISCLAIMER!!  
  
Yami:...  
  
Tara:... !!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kazuki Takahashi does. I don't earn money with this, I write for fun! I would do anything to just own Joey's socks... or Yugi's toothbrush... or... whatever...  
  
Tara: That's it! ... Yami? Yugi? Where are you two? You're not in my room again, are you?!  
  
Normal Speaking: "..." Yami to Yugi: //...// Yugi to Yami: /.../  
  
Prologue  
  
Today the most weird and most thrilling thing happened to me. I don't really know how to explain it, but it was frightening and so wonderful at the same time that I think I would like to just repeat every moment over and over again. But I know that it is impossible. I just know it. And I don't have the courage to even try.  
  
Now you wonder what it was, don't you? Okay, I will tell you. Today I was able to look through the mirror. Not merely into it. I could look through it. And... no, I'm completely sane, thank you.  
  
What I saw took my every breath, my every heartbeat, my every movement, so that I froze to the spot and could only stare at the person, who I locked eyes with. I didn't look at myself that moment, like you would expect, when you look into the mirror. That wasn't me. Couldn't be. But... In a strange way he seemed to be me. He mirrored me like a twin brother. But we were different in every way I could think of. He was tall where I was small and he was dark where I was bright. But his hair, his clothing... nobody could have the same haircut I have. Not the same colour. My hair is spiked, black, violet-tainted and blond. And so much like his. I wear leather and he... he did, too.  
  
Now you think, I just saw strange things, right? You think, I saw myself and not someone else, right? I didn't. The person wasn't me. I could tell by only one look into his eyes. The boy on the other side of the mirror had red eyes. They were rich crimson. Like blood. And so very dangerous. Not like mine. They were not the soft colour of amethysts.  
  
He looked confused, but I also could see the glint of darkness, of insanity, behind the slightly shocked glance. It would have freaked me out to no end, hadn't I been so shocked myself. So I just went on staring, mutely, holding my breath.  
  
After a few moments the shock in his eyes melted into curiosity. His head tilted to the side lightly and his lips formed words, but I couldn't hear them. And I couldn't have answered, even if I heard them. I was too afraid of the dark creature in front of me.  
  
//Who are you?//  
  
I flinched and my eyes widened. My fear increased but I also was stunned and astonished like never before in my life. I felt like freezing, but the chill, which went slowly down my spine, was warm, nearly heated. This guy spoke to me. He spoke into my mind. I could hear his smooth voice in my head, shortly after his lips moved, as if he sent the question through the glass...  
  
Then the dark stranger stretched out his hand, his crimson eyes fixed on my face, flashing like blood-red diamonds, and touched the cold surface of the invisible wall, which separated us from each other. I hesitated a moment but then also lifted a trembling hand until my delicate fingers reached the mirror, where his hand already laid.  
  
"I'm Yugi.", I whispered quietly.  
  
//Yugi...//  
  
Suddenly light flashed and nearly blinded me with its intensity. I pressed my eyes close, covering them with my hands.  
  
//I'm Yami. Nice to meet you, little one.//  
  
The light faded away, left me blinking tears of pain out of my burning amethyst eyes. I was alone again and I felt the loss before I could even look at the mirror. The stranger was gone. Only a small, frightened teenager could be seen. That was me. The difference was amazing and all of the sudden I envied my stronger and darker self, who had disappeared without any sign to prove he had been there.  
  
Now I don't know if I would like to meet him again. He is everything I'm not and I would feel like trash beside him. Or would it be the other way around? Would he make me feel like being someone important? I don't know. I'm frightened.  
  
I will stop writing now. I'm depressed and confused. I wonder if he will be there again, in the big mirror in my room... I wonder... No, I shouldn't think of this anymore. Perhaps it wasn't even real. Reality is... nothing compared to the darkling I met a few hours ago. He is beyond my reality.  
  
I wish... yeah, I really, really wish I could meet him again.  
  
Yugi  
  
End of Prologue  
  
What do you think? It's just the prologue, the real story will begin with the first chapter and this will be longer then. I already have the plot and I would like to know, if you are interested in a continuation... Are you?  
  
It won't be a journal, this is just my way of starting the story. I thought it would be interesting... yeah, so no journal. Perhaps I'll write one in between again... I don't know...  
  
There's one thing you should know. I'm from Germany and don't know if everything is right! So I'm sorry if there are fatal mistakes! Would someone like to be the beta-reader? I need someone with English as his/her native language! Please?  
  
Bakura: *smirk* There are so many mistakes! I think, even a child... mmph...  
  
Ryou: Don't worry! He didn't say anything!  
  
Bakura: *blush* You just kissed me, moron!!  
  
Ryou: *flinch* Did I?  
  
Bakura: Do it again!  
  
Ryou: Um...  
  
Bakura: *pounce*  
  
Ryou: Bakura!! 


	2. Chapter One

Through the Mirror  
  
by Tara B Amy  
  
There I am again!!  
  
And here I have the first chapter! Do you see it? Do you see it? Yeah? Yeah?  
  
Yugi: *dryly* Of course...  
  
Yami: Stuff it, Tara!  
  
Tara: *pouts* Why? Who is hiding in the shadows all the time? I'm not! Only a certain someone hides in the shadows till Yugi comes home from school.  
  
Bakura: Then he comes out and...  
  
Marik: ...they both hide in the shadows!  
  
Ryou: Quite Right!  
  
Yugi: *flushes* That's not what it looks like!  
  
Yami: *growl* Not? *wince* Hikari?  
  
Yugi: ...  
  
Yami: Aibou? Yugi-chan?  
  
Tara: *bounces in between them* Hey, the Disclaimer!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, I don't own Yugi, I don't own Yami and I'm not the King of Games...  
  
Tara: *looks around* Yugi? Yami?  
  
...  
  
They're gone... they aren't in my room again, are they? *runs off* OUT OF MY ROOM, YOU TWO!!  
  
Normal Speaking: "..." Yami to Yugi: //...// Yugi to Yami: /.../  
  
Chapter One  
  
Yugi shut the book and sighed. He sat in the kitchen at the table, gazing at the diary in his hands. Or was it rather a journal?  
  
He had started it two years ago. His grandfather had asked him to do it and said, he would feel better then. But now he only felt more confused and everything got worse. His life suddenly seemed to go upside-down. Did magic exist? Or was it his imagination? Had his life finally driven him insane?  
  
There was only one way in discovering the truth in all the mess. Yugi stood up and left the kitchen. He went to his room and stopped in front of the door, shivering. Could he really? What if...?  
  
Catching his breath, Yugi opened the door and peaked in.  
  
/Yami.../, he pleaded silently in his thoughts, unsure of everything. The name came to him like he knew it for years and it made him gasp and stop dead in his tracks. His eyes wandered to the mirror, searching for the crimson eyed figure. But nobody was there. The mirror showed just himself and it made him feel lonely.  
  
//Yes, little one?//  
  
The answering voice sounded powerful and soft and so very, very dark. And it made him nearly collapse, because it was an unexpected sensation to feel the darkness flood over him like a wave. He stumbled into the room completely and sunk to his knees.  
  
"Where are you? Where did you come from?", asked Yugi irritated. No answer came and he looked around with searching eyes.  
  
/Is this all my imagination? This is crazy!/  
  
//Don't worry, Yugi. It's real.//  
  
"Real?", Yugi managed to choke out. "But..."  
  
//Don't worry.//  
  
"Where did you come from?", Yugi repeated his earlier question. "Who are you?"  
  
But again he knew that the person was gone. He nearly felt sick, but forced the unpleasant feeling down. He would just go to sleep now. Everything would be back to normal then. He was sure! It had to be! Yugi came to his feet and walked towards the bed, his movements slow and unsteady. Sleep was what he needed...  
  
He never noticed the crimson eyes watching him from the shadows...  
  
**  
  
Yugi woke up slowly as sunlight tickled his nose. He cracked one eye open tiredly and figured he had slept for a few hours now, because the sun went down behind his curtains and he fell asleep at bright daylight before. But, he wondered, why did he fall asleep...?  
  
Then he remembered. Immediately his gaze shifted to the mirror, which showed a picture of himself like it did for years. Had it all been a dream? Just a dream?  
  
"Yugi?", a deep voice suddenly called and he jumped to his feet with a yelp. "S'Everything all right?"  
  
"Yes, Grandpa!", Yugi shouted dully. "I'm fine!"  
  
For a short moment he really had thought that it had been the stranger again. But obviously it wasn't and maybe everything had really just been a dream. Sure, why not? It wasn't that he was disappointed, was he?  
  
With an inaudible sigh he left his room and walked downstairs to the game shop to help his Grandfather carrying the luggage into the house.  
  
"How was your trip?", he asked the old man and gripped one of the heavier suitcases. Oh, that was really heavy! What was in it?! Stones?!  
  
"Oh, wonderful!", Sugoroku sighed happily. "The tournament was thrilling and though I am not the winner I had my fun anyway!"  
  
"That's great!" Yugi forced a smile and tried desperately to lift the suitcase from the floor, but he failed miserably.  
  
"The winner is a young girl, called Rebecca!", his Grandpa went on babbling. "I think, I know her way of playing, but I don't really... um... Yugi?"  
  
Yugi stood in the doorway to the shop, frozen, staring inside with an unbelieving look in his eyes. He didn't have the suitcase in his hand anymore. The suitcase was already gone.  
  
"Grandpa, did you carry the suitcase inside?", asked Yugi with a shaky voice.  
  
"No, I didn't. I stood here all the time.", the old man answered without even thinking about it. "What I really wanted to tell you, was, that this girl, Rebecca..."  
  
But Yugi didn't listen to him anymore. One moment he had the suitcase standing at his side, ready to be carried in, and in the next... it was gone. Just gone! How could that be?! That was plainly impossible! He walked into the living room at a slow pace, then up the stairs and into his Grandfathers' room. Yugi drew in a shocked breath.  
  
There it stood. It had to be magic. Or did he have a blackout? Joey once had told him that he had had a blackout without even noticing it while it happened. But in Joey's case... he did run into a wall after all. This was completely different!  
  
Yugi sighed and got downstairs again. He would have to be careful or else he really would lose it. He knew it. If he started to see every slightly not so normal thing next time, he would go crazy and make himself a complete fool.  
  
No, just because he dreamt about weird strangers and had blackouts without noticing it, it didn't mean that it was real! No, no! He would be more aware of everything, but not just believe it!  
  
Stubbornly forcing the unwanted thoughts into the back of his mind, Yugi strolled back to his Grandfather, who had settled down on a chair behind the counter and was resting from the exhausting trip.  
  
"Oh, there you are, Yugi, my boy!", he greeted with a wave, then his eyes got questioning. "How did you bring in the big piece of luggage? All my heavy books were in it!"  
  
"Oh, um...", Yugi stuttered nervously. He didn't know the answer either, so what to say? "That... um... wasn't that big of a problem... you know... um... I dunno... um..."  
  
His Grandpa looked suspicious but didn't say anything about it. Instead he stood up and walked out of the shop and into the living room.  
  
"What should we have for dinner?", Yugi heard him ask and a smile appeared on his face as he approached the door to join his relative.  
  
"Pizza!"  
  
**  
  
The next day began with a brief surprise for Yugi. His window was shut and his curtains closed. Didn't he leave them open yesterday before he went to bed?  
  
He looked around, blinking in wonder, but then shrugged it off like everything else.  
  
"Maybe...", so he thought. "...Grandpa did it, so that I wouldn't catch cold."  
  
"Maybe someone else did it, so that you wouldn't catch cold...", an intriguing voice in the back of his head whispered, but he ignored it. Who else than his Grandpa could have done that? This was just paranoia, he shouldn't listen to such annoying thoughts. The stranger was a figure born out of a dream. Certainly he was!  
  
With this he got up fully and dressed quickly.  
  
"Yugi, are you ready for breakfast?", his Grandpa called and Yugi rushed out of his room and into the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready!", he answered smiling. "Good Morning, Grandpa!"  
  
"Good Morning!" The old man smiled back warmly, then opened the newspaper and started to read.  
  
"I saw, you solved the puzzle I gave to you!", he cheered after a while and looked over the edge of the paper at Yugi.  
  
"Yesterday!", Yugi, who had made himself comfortable on a chair at the table, added with a happy smile crossing his features. "Finally!"  
  
"Where is it?", Sugoroku asked with curiosity and a hint of caution that Yugi couldn't quite define.  
  
"In my room. Should I fetch it?", he offered.  
  
"Please."  
  
Yugi did what his Grandfather wished and walked back into his room, his gaze shifting to the mirror ever so often, as he took the golden puzzle, which had the form of a pyramid, out of the dresser, holding the unusually warm necklace close to himself. It had took him years of work, years of frustration, years of fear until he finally solved the puzzle. Now it was solved. And it was his! It belonged to him, it was kind of a precious treasure, something so important and addictive... he could look at it for hours... no, forever. He smiled lovingly at the pyramid and went back into the kitchen, where his Grandfather waited for him.  
  
"Ah, so this is the Millennium Puzzle!" Sugoroku reached out, a gesture for Yugi to give the puzzle to him. Unwillingly the short boy stretched out the hand, which held the necklace and watched the old man, who took it an looked at it with deep interest.  
  
"You know.", he began. "This necklace came from Egypt and once belonged to a great pharaoh, who lived five thousand years ago. They found it in the tomb of one of his relatives, surrounded by old scripts in an Egyptian language nobody could read. They said that it had to be the language of the priests, of the highest persons of Egypt and, of course, of the pharaoh himself. This eye..." He pointed at the front of the puzzle. "...is the Eye of Horus. It is a sign of great power, a sign of the gods. You should never underestimate the power of this item, Yugi. It can be dangerous when in the hands of the wrong person. You know how powerful the old Egyptians were, don't you?"  
  
Yugi had listened carefully and was shaking his head now. He had no clue what it was, that made them so powerful. How would Grandpa know about it anyway?  
  
"You really don't know, do you?" Sugoroku looked at the puzzle with sad fascination. "Then... you should leave the puzzle alone, or else you're not able to control its power and it'll drown you in its dark depths."  
  
"No! Never!", Yugi cried out, jumping to his feet and snatching the necklace away from his Grandfather in a sudden burst of anger and possession. "I won't give it away! It's mine!"  
  
"Yugi..." Sugoroku looked down now. "I know it took you a long time to solve it, but if you are not ready to keep..."  
  
"Shut up!" Yugi ran out, throwing on his jacket. He slung his schoolbag over his shoulder as he left. "I am off to school now! Bye." He slammed the door shut behind himself.  
  
"How could he...", he growled despite his soft nature. "The puzzle belongs to me! It's mine! Nobody can take it from me!" Possessively his delicate fingers clutched the golden item as he dodged off to school, feeling the fact that he hadn't eaten anything at breakfast bothering him.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Chapter One is ready! Yay!  
  
Now I'm happy! I didn't think I would actually continue, because I'm just a German girl and I'm not sure if I have the skill to write English stuff! I've had English classes... um... for about seven years now. Yeah, this is my eighth year now.  
  
Thanks to the reviewers! I really appreciated every single word! It's a weird thought though, to get reviews from people, who are living in the USA! That's so very, very far away from here! *giggles*  
  
I hope you liked my story and I really think I will continue it. I wouldn't have written To Be Continued up there, if I wouldn't, right? Right! So watch out for the next chapter! 


	3. Chapter Two

Through the Mirror  
  
by Tara B Amy  
  
Hi! I'm back! Finally! So, this is the second chapter!  
  
Yami: *sarcasm* Woah, we didn't suspect it...  
  
Tara: Yugi? Shut him up, please...  
  
Yugi: *smirk* Of course. *all innocent* Yami?  
  
Yami: *suspicious* Aibou?  
  
Yugi: I think... I need lip-massage... Would you please...?  
  
Tara: Where are you two going?  
  
Yami: Um... never mind...  
  
Tara: *shrug* 'Kay... On to the Disclaimer:  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! and I assume that I never will. Perhaps I could... no, forget it. I didn't say anything... *sigh*  
  
Tara: Yugi, Yami...? Um... That situation is kinda familiar to me... Wait... I remember... OUT OF MY ROOM!!  
  
Normal Speaking: "..."  
  
Yami to Yugi: //...//  
  
Yugi to Yami: /.../  
  
Chapter Two  
  
"Hey, there, little one!", a sneering voice brought Yugi's fast pace to a sudden stop. He tensed visibly and turned around slowly. His eyes met the cold, mocking ones of his tormentor. Again. Like every day...  
  
Yugi said nothing and just waited for the whole thing to pass by as quickly as possible. If the bully had was he wanted, perhaps then he would go away?  
  
His spirit sank as he saw the fierce expression in the face of his classmate. He seemed to be in no good mood today. Sometimes he wondered who would be troubling the boy so much that he had all the anger, which he needed to spill out.  
  
But then again he was the one here, who was being hurt innocently and without any reason. That was nothing he appreciated. He feared every new school day and that only because of this mere boy.  
  
"So quiet today?", the blonde asked smirking and bent down in a sarcastic manner, patting Yugi's head. "You're scared, aren't you, Yug'? You really should be."  
  
Again Yugi remained quiet and continued to stare fearfully into the deep brown eyes of the bully.  
  
"Oh, you don't have money with you by any chance?", the bully asked, his voice sinister. He hovered over Yugi and waited impatiently, tapping with his right food onto the ground. "Give it to me and you'll get away unharmed today."  
  
Hesitantly Yugi shook his head. He needed the money. He needed to eat. He hadn't have any breakfast this morning. At any other day he would have given away his money immediately, but...  
  
"What was that?" Anger dwelled in the depths of the blonde's eyes. "A No? A NO?!"  
  
"Please, Jounouchi-kun...", Yugi pleaded and immediately wished he had obeyed, but before he could do anything, the teen shoved him backwards forcefully, so he couldn't speak anymore.  
  
"You little nobody!", Jou growled through gritted teeth. "Perhaps you change your mind after I played a round of 'Hit the Twit' with you. Would ya like that? Do ya want that?"  
  
"No, please...", Yugi coughed, watching the raging boy carefully.  
  
"Give me the money!", Jou demanded. " I need it."  
  
"Jounouchi-kun, no, please...", Yugi whimpered and pressed his eyes closed as the bully lunged at him. But nothing happened. A loud smacking noise was to be heard and then silence settled in.  
  
Carefully Yugi cracked one eye open and then blinked in surprise. Jounouchi Katsuya was on the ground, clutching his stomach and writhing in pain. Confused Yugi looked around but nobody was there except the bully and him.  
  
"What was that?", he asked himself aloud, fear evident in his shivering figure.  
  
"The question is, who was that...", a panting voice came from the ground. "I will eat this person alive!!"  
  
"I don't know..." Yugi slowly stepped back and then turned around and ran, but not before making sure Jounouchi would be alright.  
  
**  
  
It was evening and Yugi was ready to go to bed. He laid the millennium puzzle down onto the dresser and sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
He still couldn't believe that his grandfather wanted to take the puzzle from him. It wasn't right. Yeah, it plainly felt not right. As he came home from school the old man had stared at him intently without saying a word and it was clear what he wanted to say with this.  
  
'You better should give the puzzle to me, boy' or 'The ones who don't know how to use the puzzle will die a painful death.'... okay, maybe not that one. But something on the line.  
  
Yawning tiredly Yugi grabbed his journal and opened the page, which he had stopped on the last time. He needed to write down his problem. If he had luck it would appear more structured to him then or he would find some kind of logic in it. He read a few lines of the last entry and suddenly gasped. That was impossible. That couldn't be true.  
  
"No...", he whispered and threw the small book into one drawer of his dresser.  
  
The last entry... he had written it shortly after he met the crimson eyed figure behind the mirror. But that couldn't be. He had thought of it as a dream. It couldn't be real all of the sudden. That wasn't fair.  
  
Yugi let himself fall into a lying-position and crouched onto the bed completely, covering himself with the blanket.  
  
"I'll face it tomorrow...", he whispered with his voice shaking violently. "...tomorrow..."  
  
**  
  
Something warm and snuggling in his back made him stir. He opened his eyes halfway and tried to think about what it could be, but his thoughts were too clouded from sleep and it was dark behind his curtains, so there seemed to be no need to get up right now.  
  
He leaned back into the warmth, feeling two possessive arms snake around his waist and pull him even deeper into the softness.  
  
He didn't mind it. No, not at all. Warmth was a good thing. Yugi smiled slightly. He felt content and that was a good thing, too, wasn't it?  
  
Why bother? Why bother when a soft breath caresses your neck? It felt right after all. Why bother when the sleep claims you once again?  
  
Yugi sighed and let himself be taken into dreamland again, dreaming about crimson eyes, which seemed to belong to the devil himself, but were such gorgeous at the same time that he wanted to drown in them forever.  
  
"I'll protect you...", a voice radiating darkness and something unfamiliar, but nonetheless alluring, accompanied him into his deep slumber.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Sorry for the shortness... Writer's block... we all know how bad it can get...  
  
Have to work on it now, or it'll never go away! I waited a while but that didn't work, either, so... perhaps writing will bring my inspiration back? 


	4. Chapter Three

Through the Mirror  
by Tara B Amy  
  
Hi, folks! Here I am again!  
  
So, this is chapter three now! Yeah! I did it!  
  
Yami will be in this chapter again *cheers* So prepare for a lot of Yami/Yugi. I love fluff and I love making Yami grabby *smirk* O.O I didn't say that, did I? Oh, whatever. It's true -.-* You don't mind it, do you? *thehe*  
  
Warnings: No plot in this chapter. It contains Shounen-Ai though. You are warned *cackles evilly*  
  
Tara: *sigh* Now to the Disclaimer! I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, but the plot is all mine! MINE!! Muahahaha!!  
  
Um... never mind...  
  
Yugi and Yami: *from Tara's room* We are in your room again! *cruel laughter*  
  
Tara: *sweatdrop*  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Early sunrays woke Yugi up next morning. He yawned and stretched lazily before he stood up and blinked, to fight the flecks of colour, dancing in front of his eyes.  
  
He was so tired.  
  
"Get up, Yugi!", his grandpa called cheerfully and his footsteps could be heard bouncing through the house.  
  
"How can someone be so happy at such an early time?", Yugi muttered to himself, rubbing his burning eyes. "That's impossible..."  
  
He grabbed his school-uniform and stumbled into the bathroom to brush his teeth and shower. He put the toothpaste onto the brush and began, his eyelids dropping dangerously. He couldn't fall asleep now... school...  
  
"Yugi, breakfast is ready!"  
  
Now he was awake again. He grumbled, looking up to the small mirror in the bathroom.  
  
'I'm certainly looking odd today.' He yawned. 'Are my eyes bloodshot or why are they so red...? wait... I'm dreaming...'  
  
//Good morning, little Yugi.//  
  
He nearly fainted. That couldn't be true. When he had been tired before, he was the complete opposite now. The crimson eyes in the mirror didn't belong to him. He bit down onto the toothbrush hard and stared wide-eyed at his look-alike behind the glass.  
  
//You look tired.//  
  
Yugi coughed in shock, the brush falling out of his mouth as he gaped at the picture in front of him. It couldn't be.  
  
"Y-you... are... real?" He couldn't help it but let his gaze wander over the slender form of the boy, he remembered introduced himself by the name 'Yami'. He wore black leather again, tightly hugging his figure. His eyes rose over the buckle at his throat to his face, to his eyes. Red and fiery. Deadly. Beautiful.  
  
//Of course I am.// A mental chuckle tickled in the back of his head, the fire in the eyes of the stranger blazing with amusement. //I wouldn't be here otherwise, would I?//  
  
"But..." Yugi swallowed nervously, suddenly in fear for a reason unknown to him. "You can't be real. I have to be dreaming. That would be magic. And magic doesn't exist! I don't believe that!"  
  
//Calm down, little one.// A gentle smile graced the lips of his look- alike, softening his expression from the burning fire to one of smouldering ashes. //Magic is something natural and it's living within you as it is living in everyone. I am very real.//  
  
"Stop! Don't tell me that!" Yugi stepped backwards sharply until the cold wall of the bathroom hit his back. "Go away! Leave me alone!"  
  
//No.// The face of the boy in the mirror hardened, the fire in his eyes suddenly flaring up in rage. //I don't want to.//  
  
"Please go!", he cried out, pressing his eyes close. His hands automatically flew up to his ears as if he could shut out the mental voice with the action. "Please..."  
  
He could see the flash of light, which followed, even through his closed eyes and before he could move an inch, two arms encircled him and pulled him forward against something warm and smooth. Yugi nearly choked on his breath. What was going on now?!  
  
//Don't make me leave.//  
  
"Wha-?" Confused he tried to look up into the crimson eyes of this weird Yami, but found himself literally crushed against his chest, so his sight was blocked by leather.  
  
//I will stay.// The voice came with a wave of stubbornness. //You can't make me go.//  
  
Yugi felt a blush rise to his cheeks. That all couldn't be happening. As if the illusion in the mirror wasn't enough to prove, that he had lost his mind! Now he was plastered against this illusion! And he couldn't say it didn't feel good... he felt uneasy, but not uncomfortable. Truth to be told, he could almost feel... no! No, no, no. Nope. It didn't feel THAT good!  
  
//I won't go!//, the Yami-person repeated heatedly, clutching him even tighter.  
  
"Then stay.", Yugi murmured defeated. If Yami really was just an illusion, he had to fade anyway. If not... well, then he had a problem.  
  
He was surprised as the embrace loosened a bit and a content sigh washed over his ear and tickled his hair. He would have lied now if he said it didn't feel good. The warmth he received from the body in front of his. He unconsciously moved closer and leaned in for more warmth and touch.  
  
"Yugi, the pancakes are getting cold!", the voice of his grandfather broke the spell. "Where are you?"  
  
"I'm in the bathroom!", Yugi called back, feeling embarrassed. "I'm coming! Wait a sec!"  
  
//You're going?// The leather-clad figure of the dark boy moved back, letting go of him. Yugi almost latched onto him then, but could hold himself back barely.  
  
"I have to.", he said unsure, confused with the urge to throw himself back into the stranger's arms. But that wasn't a thing shy little Yugi would do, was it? To be so bold... And honestly... why would he?  
  
//Then I will see you later.// A tinge of sadness clung to Yami's words and forced Yugi to look up and straight into the crimson deeps. So fascinating. So oddly addicting. Like fire and blood and desire. It was almost frightening to have them upon yourself. Almost.  
  
"Yeah, later...", he whispered, nodding, but never adverting his gaze.  
  
A dusky hand reached up and Yugi flinched as it touched his cheek gently. It felt like a jolt of energy rushed through him, tensing his every muscle in sheer suspense and delight. He didn't dare to blink, fearing Yami could actually vanish. Fearing, that he was really an illusion.  
  
The touch lingered for a moment, then Yami drew back slowly, letting his hand wander the skin until it reached the chin. Before it could loose the contact tough, Yugi's own hand came up to cup it and hold it in place firmly. He didn't plan on doing so, it was as if it had its own will, but he didn't mind it all the same. The skin under his felt like desert, like dunes of sand, so velvety that you wanted to delve in and drown in its heat.  
  
//Cover your eyes or the light will blind you...//  
  
The voice was so soft. So thick with emotion. So deep and steady and unbelievingly alluring. Yugi didn't care anymore that he used such words as alluring. It was as it was and he knew it. There was no denying it. Yami, creature of the night, all dark but his piercing ruby eyes, had captured him so quickly and made him long for something he didn't know it existed. And, God, like he didn't want to flee!  
  
Unwillingly he closed his eyes as he was told, waiting for Yami to vanish again. Such a beautiful illusion he was. Never had anything felt so real to him.  
  
The flash of light told him that it ended. The illusion was gone. Again. Tears welled up in his eyes but he forced them down. There was no reason for crying. No reason at all. He reached up to touch his cheek, where Yami's hand had been before. It felt warm and tingly. How could that not have been real, he wondered slightly dazed. But it couldn't have been... could it?  
  
"Yugi?!" A loud knock on the door made him jump in shock.  
  
"What is it, grandpa?", he squeaked, blushing as he heard his own voice.  
  
"School is starting in a few minutes and you didn't eat, nor did you pack your school-bag!" Then his grandfathers voice grew concerned. "Is everything all right?"  
  
"Yes, it is!" Yugi threw his clothes on hastily. He had forgotten the time completely! He didn't want to be late to school! The bullies were always the latest and he really didn't want to run into one of them! Especially Jounouchi seemed to be looking out for him these days.  
  
"Then hurry up, boy!" The footsteps of the old man retreated and Yugi quickly followed. Seemingly there was no time to shower today.  
  
"Here is your lunch, Yugi." Sugoroku smiled slightly. "You never take so long in the bathroom! Did you try to fix your hair?"  
  
"Er... yes!", Yugi lied. "It didn't work!"  
  
"I could have told you before!", his grandpa laughed. "Mine did never obey to anything I wanted!"  
  
"Well, now I know it.", Yugi said nervously, bouncing up and down on his heels. "I have to go! I'm late!"  
  
"Bye, Yugi!", Sugoroku called after him cheerfully. Yugi certainly wondered, what was up with him this morning that he was in such a good mood, but he dismissed it quickly and dashed out the door, just to greet a sight he would never have expected.  
  
"Yami?!"  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
That's it for now. Like I said before, no plot this time! The small scene is stretched incredibly and it happened almost nothing there. But I like it somehow ^^ Dunno. I wanted to show their feelings this time. That and I listened to Brian Adams's "Wherever You Go" and "Here I am". *hehe*  
  
Tara: Did you have fun reading? *grins*  
  
Yami: Fun? Did we have fun, aibou?  
  
Yugi: Yeah, we had! *cheers*  
  
Bakura: *purrs* And we all know what kind of 'fun'... *smirk*  
  
Yami: *confused* We do?  
  
Yugi: *gulp* We do...  
  
Yami: Do we?  
  
Yugi: *looks embarrassed* Yeah, we do.  
  
Yami: Do we...?  
  
Yugi: Yeah, Yami, we do.  
  
Yami: Um... Do w-  
  
Bakura: *holds his head* Shut up, you two.  
  
Yami: But...  
  
Bakura: *growl*  
  
Ryou: Yami, could you please just go over there and kiss Yugi, hm?  
  
Yami: Okay. *snatches Yugi and dashes off*  
  
Bakura: How do you manage that all the time?  
  
Ryou: I'm a hikari – it's all about experience, yami, just experience.  
  
I wanna thank all the readers! Thanx for all the reviews! You make my heart flutter *faint* No, really. Thank you for your opinions! Yami Yuki, Wolfspeaker1, Koishii No Tenshi, Yami Rissa, Nekostar 2, Hikari- Nevertiri, HikariEryaviel, Sansi, Legolas19, Silverm, Kitty Neko and feh! And special thanks to Koishii No Tenshi and Hikari Nevertiri, because you made yourself the work to review more than once! That's really great! *snif*  
  
I will look at all your profiles, promised!  
  
Tara: So there... Bye 'till next time. 


	5. Chapter Four

Through the Mirror  
by Tara B Amy  
  
Hi, everybody. Here's the next chapter!  
  
It didn't take me long to write this time!  
  
...  
  
Don't look at me like that! I'm faster than the wind!  
  
Jen: Oh, really? How comes you are still sitting here, typing?  
  
Tara: I'm... I'm... um... Ahm... It's... y'know...  
  
Jen: Shut up!  
  
Disclaimer: I DON'T own Yu-Gi-Oh! and I DON'T own Yugi and Yami... all I own is... um... *looks around* ...nothing, it seems... Waaaah!!  
  
I was very happy with the reviews I got and so there are responses in the end note!  
  
Chapter Four  
  
"Yami?"  
  
The dark creature stood there at his very doorstep, his slender arms neatly folded in front of his chest and a broad grin lightening up his delicate features, making him look even more appealing than before.  
  
//I couldn't stay away.//  
  
No apology, just that explanation for his sudden appearance so short after he left not five minutes ago. But Yugi was okay with that. Odd as it was. And he was simply too nervous to get clear thoughts into his head, anyway, it seemed. Not with the intoxicating boy, who made his head spin with the shadows, swimming in his eyes.  
  
//I will keep you company.//  
  
Yugi could only nod in agreement. He figured Yami would have stayed regardless of whatever he said. A stubborn illusion he was.  
  
The bright expression on Yami's face, following his nod, made something in Yugi's stomach stir though – warming his insides up with a raging heat – and he suddenly way very glad that he had agreed. He sent the boy a genuine smile and stepped onto the pavement, never able to leave Yami's eyes at the process. He felt like he was getting lost in them. Drowning in a sea of molten ruby. So red and hot and drawing him closer and closer and deeper down into their depths. He felt like he was set on fire. His skin seemed to be so sensitive – seemed to crave for something... for touch.  
  
He barely registered as Yami clung to his side and his feet led him into the direction of his school. A way he walked everyday. He never noticed the people staring at him and his strange look-alike. Never noticed the bullies keeping their distance as Yami shot them heated glances out of his burning crimson eyes.  
  
~*~  
  
Jounouchi Katsuya was no happy guy today. But neither had he been the days before today, nor the days before those days.  
  
Wincing slightly as he remembered the beating he had received from his father the last night, he clutched his sore side. It still hurt like something was eating him up from the inside. He still couldn't get used to the pain, which seemed to be ingrained in his life. And how he hated his weakness! Why couldn't he just adapt to his miserable life? Why did he continue to yearn for something better? Why did he still feel like dying inside? Wasn't part of him already dead? Killed slowly by every hit placed upon him?  
  
It never stopped. Jou pressed his eyes close. He was angry. So very angry. How he hated the whole world! How he hated them all!  
  
He glared at some schoolmates passing by. He hated them for the happiness, shining in their eyes. Because they had no problems. He hated them for their pity!  
  
That was the main reason he beat them up. Because then they would hate him as much as he hated them. Because then they feared him like he feared them.  
  
Suddenly Jou stood still, staring at a spot a few houses down the street. He growled lowly in his throat. There he was again. Little Mutou. The one he hated most. The one, who dared to smile at him through all the pain and tears he had caused by beating him up. He, who dared to ask if he was okay, while he himself laid in a dirty, bloody heap on the cold floor. He, who scared him away with one look of sheer understanding. So pure.  
  
How he hated that! It wasn't fair. It wasn't right! Why didn't little Mutou hate him like the others? It just was not fair!  
  
Today though the bright amethyst eyes did not wander to him. Yugi Mutou wasn't alone today.  
  
Surprised Jou watched as the two boys came closer, never noticing him standing in the middle of the small pavement... too occupied with each other.  
  
The stranger looked like he was Yugi's twin brother but the tension between them told him they weren't related that way. This and the arm, which had snaked its way around Yugi's waist casually.  
  
Lovers, Jou figured flabbergasted. He would have expected someone much gentler for Yugi. And then a boy! A boy, who looked like the devil himself.  
  
For a moment a warning glance out of burning crimson eyes hit him.  
  
'You can't have him.', they said fiercely. Then the two passed by.  
  
Little Mutou hadn't looked at him once.  
  
Jou was angry. So very, very angry. Angrier than ever before. Why had Mutou ignored him like that? Where was the hope in his eyes? He needed... No! No...  
  
But why did he feel like breaking down now? He didn't depend on little Mutou! He didn't! Didn't, didn't, didn't!!  
  
Did he?  
  
~*~  
  
"You can't come in!", Yugi whispered desperately. "This is school and I can't just let you sit at my desk with me!"  
  
//If there is no other seat, you could just sit in my lap!//, Yami suggested as if he talked about the weather. Yugi coughed in shock and shook his head frantically, trying to get rid of the picture, Yami caused to appear in his head. He knew that his cheeks now had a rather red colour, but ignored it.  
  
"I'm afraid that's not possible!", he squeaked, shifting nervously. Why didn't the Yami-illusion fade?! Or wa she real after all? He wasn't sure. But magic didn't exist, did it?  
  
/Why isn't it possible?//  
  
"Don't you have school, where you come from?", Yugi asked curiously , honestly interested.  
  
//Why, of course I have!//, Yami's voice in his head exclaimed. //But not like that. There are so many people in your world. Where I come from we have few pupils. I didn't have any schoolmates actually. My uncle taught me everything.//  
  
"Strange.", Yugi said quietly. "Well, here you have different classes and a teacher for each subject."  
  
//Is it as boring as at home?//, Yami asked, his eyebrows rising in curiosity.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." Yugi shrugged, leaning further against Yami. He just couldn't resist the urge to do so. He sighed content. "But I don't know what your school is like..."  
  
//Boring.//  
  
Yugi chuckled softly. "If I don't get in, I will be late. Everyone is already gone by now.""  
  
//Do you really have to go?// The arms around his waist tightened their grip unwillingly. //They can't force you to go!//  
  
"They can." Again Yugi chuckled as Yami's soft, moist breath tickled his neck as he released a dignified snort, causing warm shivers to run down his spine. Oh, Yami didn't know what he was doing to him with his actions.  
  
//That's not fair.// Yugi could practically hear Yami pout sweetly. //I will banish them or something.//  
  
"Don't you dare!" Yugi smiled, keeping his voice quiet, or else Yami would have heard its husky sound. He wondered, how he could feel so good in the arms of his look-alike. How he could have accepted it so quickly. He felt as if he did this kind of conversation everyday, while leaning against Yami, who traced slow circles on his back, letting his hands roam lazily. How could it feel so good? He was a mere stranger, wasn't he? But his warmth was so addicting and Yami was so gorgeous and his embrace so breathtakingly firm and light at the same time. Oh, he didn't want to leave him now...!  
  
"Mutou Yugi!"  
  
Yugi froze. He knew that voice He blushed embarrassed and turned his head to look at his teacher. She stood at the door to the class, her hands at her hips and glaring at him furiously.  
  
"What are you doing out here?", she asked, not looking at Yami once. "Aren't you supposed to be in class, young man?"  
  
"Sure." Yugi made a weak attempt to step back from Yami but soon realised, that he couldn't move away, but was only pulled closer to him. "Yami?"  
  
He looked up at Yami unsure but the eyes of his look-alike were locked onto the woman, who waited impatiently for him to get in.  
  
//She is being mean to you.//  
  
"Well, are you coming or do you prefer to stay with your lover-boy?" Yugi could tell the teacher got really angry now. Nervously he gripped Yami's arms, causing the other teen to look at him questioningly.  
  
"Let go, Yami.", he whispered in an almost pleading tone of voice. "She isn't mean. It's my responsibility to go to school and I am late!"  
  
//Then I will take your responsibility for you being late!// Yami's face grew determined. //She shall blame me.//  
  
"It's not that easy, Yami!", he whispered for only the other boy to hear. The confused looks of his teacher were unnoticed by him.  
  
"Mutou, get in already!", she yelled. "Never has anyone disobeyed me like that! I told you to get your lazy bum in twice and now I tell you for the third time: Get in!!"  
  
"Yes, Izumi-sensei!" Yugi tried to struggle out of Yami's steadily tightening embrace, but failed again. Yami just wouldn't let go of him. He knew he was in deep trouble now...  
  
"Yami, will you stop being so unreasonable?!", he whined, face red as a tomato.  
  
//She IS mean to you, aibou! Don't deny it! She's yelling!//  
  
"Then let her yell!", Yugi growled. "She wouldn't have if you weren't so stubborn!"  
  
For the first time the teacher looked at Yami fully and gasped as she noticed the similarity between the two. But then she seemed to recover from her shock and switched her best glare to Yami. "Who are you?"  
  
Yami didn't answer, looking slightly helplessly, but indifferent all the same.  
  
"Is he able to speak?", she asked in Yugi's direction.  
  
"Er..." Panicking the little boy looked at Yami, who returned the glance confused. "Yami?"  
  
//What?// Yami cocked his head to the side cutely.  
  
"Are you able to speak my language?" Yami blinked, the shook his head no. "But... how can you understand me?"  
  
//I read your thoughts.// Yami grinned almost mischievously. //Your -every- thought!//  
  
Yugi blushed from head to toe, his eyes widening incredulously.  
  
"What?!", he squealed.  
  
The teacher jumped at his high-pitched voice and Yami also flinched visibly.  
  
"Are you playing tricks on me, boy?!", the woman demanded to know, walking towards Yugi and trying to snatch him away from his obvious lover. "Wait 'till you meet the principal! I will have you in detention for two weeks!"  
  
The moment she reached out though, the look-alike of the normally very shy boy backed away, taking the little one with him.  
  
"Biaw!", he spat, cradling Yugi and glaring at her like a lion in a trap, ready to claw out the eyes of his captor.  
  
//Nasty woman. Thinks she can steal my precious aibou. Nasty, nasty indeed. Can't let her live. Never let her live... Need to call the shadows... Kill her!//  
  
"Yami...?"  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Ooooh... Yami's angry. He doesn't like Izumi-sensei.  
  
Responses! Thanks for your reviews!  
  
Ril: You love it? Wow, thank you! ^___^  
  
Yana5: You hate cliffies?! *cries* What would you do without them?! Whee, but they make me crazy, too! *lol*  
  
Sansi: Danke für den Kommi! *hugs Sansi* Oh, and Yugi's blushing all the time... *blushs* I read it and... well, can't help it *grins* Um... I will hurry with the updates!  
  
Kitty Neko: Waaaaah! You all keep telling me that, eh?! I will update soon! Promised! *smile*  
  
Sterga: You like, how I write Yami? *squeals in delight* Thank you very much!! I'm sure, Yami thinks, everything he does is justified, either! He's just so... well, he has been pharaoh after all! Time can't erase everything! *bows* Your description of Yami was great!  
  
Strega: Are you the same person as above? O.o Well, I couldn't find the picture and that made me sad *snif* But thank you for it anyway! ^^ I was surprised that a picture reminded you of MY story! I feel very honoured! Thank you!  
  
Yami Koibito: Well, he didn't see Jou, but Jou saw him *grins* Did you like the scene at school? Thank you for your opinion!  
  
egyptain_goddess: I write better than you?! You're exaggerating! That can't be! ... T_T You're serious? That makes me happy!! *cries into her handkerchief* Thank you!  
  
Hakiri_Nefertiri: I'm sorry I made the mistake with your name! Look, now it's correct! But every second fan of Yu-Gi-Oh! has a 'Hikari' or a 'Yami' in his/her name! Wooh, and I'm glad you two like my story, Hermione and Nefertiri!  
  
Sarah Harvey: I'll update soon! Thank you for your review! Hope you like what I wrote in this chapter!  
  
Yami Tangela: Oh, thank you, that you put my story on your favourite-list! *blushs* That's nice of you!  
  
Laryna6: You love my stories? Thanx! *bows*  
  
Misura: Hey, I love Jou! He's my favourite-character in the show! Okay... he has been mean to Yugi... but he will get nicer, I promise! I know from your stories, that you like him as much as I! Thank you for the review!  
  
Silverm: Sorry, that I take so long every time! I just can't help it! I'm happy though, that one person thinks, it's right to end it at that point! Thank you very much!!  
  
YumeTakato: You want more? You'll get more! *grins* Glad you liked it!  
  
That was it! Pretty much! I'm sooo happy!! You all made my day! I would hug you all but from Germany it is just too far! *laughs*  
  
Tara's Nonsense:  
  
Yesterday I played a bowl-game at the computer. It was sorta crappy... um... I played a Japanese woman called Tokimoto, and every time I told her to throw the bowling-ball straight, she threw it to the left! And after 10 of 10 possible misses all she had to say, was 'I'm a little bit down' and 'Let's forget about it! It can't be helped.' Um... weird?  
  
Tara's Nonsense - End  
  
Bye  
  
Tara 


	6. Chapter Five

Through the Mirror - Chapter Five

Well, well, so many people demanded the next chapter, so I wrote it. Here it is.  
  
Disclaimer: The girl over there doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! The boy beside her doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! The group of teenagers at the corner doesn't own Yu- Gi-Oh! You don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! In fact, most people don't. Count me in. T.T  
  
Word explanations:  
  
Biaw – mine (Egyptian) Sorry for not making it clear in the previous chapter.

"..." normal speaking

--...-- Yami speaking to Yugi through the mind-link.

Have fun reading. Review Responses are at the end of the chapter.   
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
Reminder:  
  
"Biaw!", he spat, cradling Yugi and glaring at her like a lion in a trap, ready to claw out the eyes of his captor.  
  
--Nasty woman. Thinks she can steal my precious aibou. Nasty, nasty indeed. Can't let her live. Never let her live...--  
  
"Yami...?"  
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
--She will fall into the shadows. They will take her with them for eternity.--  
  
"Yami, don't kill her!" Yugi cried out panicking, clutching Yami's arms and trying to lock eyes with him frantically. Yami's glare was fixed onto the woman though and the air seemed to charge with electricity around them.  
  
"No, don't!!" Yugi paled, watching Yami stretch out a hand, his palm facing the teacher.  
  
--She deserves to die.--  
  
And the angry energy broke lose, making the room light up in a strange light, flickering too bright for a moment, causing Yugi to let go of Yami's arms and cover his eyes as it blinded him. The deafening scream of the dying woman filled his ears, making the disbelief and shock in him break away and giving way to roaring fear. He began to struggle, pulling at the arm still surrounding him and trying to get away somehow. Yami was a murderer. He had killed another human being without any real reason. Or even hesitation. That wasn't right. He was dangerous.  
  
"Let go!" he cried, his voice sounding terrified. He kicked and shoved but instead of making Yami release his grip, it tightened, now the second arm slipping around him to press him back against the warm body.  
  
--Yugi.--  
  
"No! No!!" Giving up the hopeless fight, Yugi collapsed into the steady arms, wondering in panic what Yami would do to him now. He had seen him killing the woman. He couldn't let him live with that knowledge, could he? Swallowing a sob, he bit onto his lower lip. If he had known that something like that would happen...  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Yugi sensed Yami tensing, his body growing stiff. He looked up and saw the whole class standing at the door and gawking at them. As they saw the teacher lying on the floor, a few girls screamed out and they backed away fearfully, eyes on Yami all the time as if they instantly knew it had been his doing.  
  
"She's dead." a boy, who had kneeled down beside her, said, his voice faint with shock while he searched for a pulse or breathing.  
  
"Dead?!" Even more screaming resounded from the pupils around. Yugi started struggling again, his sight in a blur with the tears streaming down his face.  
  
--Yugi?--  
  
"Let go of me! Let go!!" Finally the arms weakened their grip and he stumbled away from his look-alike. He had known before, that Yami was dangerous, hadn't he? The crimson eyes, so deep a red that they looked like blood. The aura of ruthlessness. Dangerous indeed.  
  
Yugi gazed at Yami for a moment through the blur, his mind in a haze. Yami just stood there, no regret in his eyes.  
  
"She's dead." Yugi said slowly. His other didn't flinch, just tilted his head to the side in obvious confusion.  
  
--Yes, she is.-- he said matter of factly. Again no regret. Yugi felt sick all of the sudden. He bolted, no longer able to take the atmosphere of panic with Yami standing in the middle of it, aware of the fact that he had ended the life of an innocent and not caring a bit.  
  
--Yugi!!--  
  
The other boy was in front of him in an instant, opening his arms and catching him easily.  
  
"No!" Yugi tried to back away but the arms were around him already, holding him with a strength that screamed desperation and made his back hurt.  
  
--Do not run away.-- Yami whispered into his mind, ignoring the people around them, now quietly staring at them both.  
  
"He wants to kidnap Yugi!" one of them cried out and that was the moment they tried to get to the one who had killed their teacher. They grabbed them both, trying to pry them apart.  
  
--NO!! You can't have him! He's mine! MINE!--  
  
"Hold on, Yugi!" the voices echoed each other, arms pulling at him, others clawing at Yami.  
  
"Don't kill them." Yugi sobbed, now crying freely. "Please don't kill them..."  
  
Suddenly the pulling arms let go, the boys and girls around them being pushed forcefully against the walls around them by some invisibly power. Shocked silence followed, nobody brave enough to move or to try to free Yugi again. Only a few sniffles of hurt teens could be heard and a few fearful whimpers of those, who Yami passed by on his way out.  
  
Silently they watched as the stranger, who looked like Yugi, took their crying classmate away in his arms.  
  
Then sirens could be heard outside faintly, slowly growing louder.  
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
--Yugi, please stop crying.--  
  
Yugi couldn't hold back the sobs, which worked their way through his throat. And frankly he didn't want to. His teacher had died in front of his eyes, wasn't that a reason to cry? He could have stopped Yami. It was his fault that Yami had been there at all. The woman had died because HE had taken Yami to school.  
  
--It's not your fault.-- Yami's voice resounded in his mind, making him shiver. I did it, not you.  
  
"Stop reading my thoughts." he whispered, turning slightly in Yami's arms. They were in his bedroom now, Yami sitting on his bed and holding him. Never had he let go for a moment, seemingly fearing that he would try to run away again. He was right. Yugi would have run, even while knowing that there was no way to get away from him. Long since had he stopped to tell his look-alike to let him be and go to where he had come from. Not once had Yami responded to his requests.  
  
"Why don't you regret it?" Yugi shook his head, trying to understand Yami's way of thinking.  
  
--I already told you. She deserved to die for intending to take you away from me.--  
  
Yugi would have jumped to his feet in anger, weren't it for the arms holding him down. Their grip was unwaveringly strong.  
  
"How vain you are to think you have the right to judge the lives of other people!" Yugi spat out.  
  
--But I have. She wanted to take you away from me!--  
  
"And that's giving you the right to -kill- her?!" Yugi looked up into the crimson eyes with repulsion. "Do you think you own me or something?"  
  
--Yes, I do.-- Yami's voice sounded certain, so sure of what he was saying. Yugi swallowed. --You are mine.--  
  
"Who... who do you think you are?" The tears had faded away, leaving only the taste of fear and shock behind. "You don't own me! No human being can own another!"  
  
--You are mine.-- was Yami's only response before he was pressed even closer to his body, now sitting on his lap. Yugi noticed that he smelled strangely like cinnamon and something spicy and tasty. What an intoxicating experience. He loved cinnamon.  
  
"Why do you think I'm yours?" he asked desperately, struggling to gain back the distance between their bodies. These nearness was making it difficult for him to concentrate.  
  
--You solved the puzzle.-- Yami's arms wandered over his back, rubbing the tensed muscles there. --I sensed that. So I chose you.--  
  
"Sensed? Chose?" Yugi was confused. He tried to move away from the hands on his back but ended in only pushing himself further against the body. He was trapped.  
  
--Where I come from I am the keeper of the Millennium Puzzle and that's how I sensed a connection to your dimension. I came to visit the one able to hold the powers of a Millennium Item.--  
  
"But that doesn't explain why you 'chose' me as you like to put it." Yugi's breath hitched as he sensed Yami's finger curling at the rim of his shirt and lightly touching the skin over the waistband.  
  
--I am the pharaoh and don't have to have any reasons for anything.-- Yami's fingers finally slipped under the shirt his nails scraping over the skin a little. Yugi pressed himself into the body, trying to get away from the hand, failing and instead making it even worse. He was sure Yami did that on purpose. Shivers ran up and down his spine, his every hair on his arms standing on end. How could so little touch have such influence on him?  
  
Then he realised what Yami had said.  
  
"Pharaoh?!" he gasped, remembering what his grandfather had told him.  
  
OOO  
  
"You know, this necklace came from Egypt and once belonged to a great pharaoh, who lived three thousand years ago. They found it in the tomb of one of his relatives, surrounded by old scripts in an Egyptian language nobody could read. They said that it had to be the language of the priests, of the highest persons of Egypt and, of course, of the pharaoh himself. This eye..." He pointed at the front of the puzzle. "...is the Eye of Horus. It is a sign of great power, a sign of the gods. You should never underestimate the power of this item, Yugi. It can be dangerous when in the hands of the wrong person. You know how powerful the old Egyptians were, don't you?"  
  
OOO  
  
Oh, how he knew now! If he just had asked Yami earlier where he came from! Then he could have prevented the murder. Then his teacher would be alive and everything okay. What was supposed to happen now? Everybody thought he was kidnapped – and he sort of was. But it was different, wasn't it? Hi didn't know... he didn't know anything right now.  
  
--Stop blaming yourself. People are dying everyday. I decided to kill her and there was nothing you could have done about it.--  
  
"Stop reading my mind already!!" Yugi screamed. "And you can't just decide to kill someone because they annoy you!"  
  
--Why not?-- Yami growled. --If they disrespect and disobey the pharaoh! I made it clear enough that she wasn't allowed to touch you.--  
  
"Here you aren't the pharaoh!" Yugi tried to lean back and look Yami in the eyes but found it impossible to do so. The grip on him was too strong. He sighed and gave up the fight, letting himself sink against the soft, inviting body.  
  
--I won't kill again if you don't want me to.--  
  
"It scares me that you have the wish to do so." Yugi shivered. "You are remorseless. What if you want to kill -me- some moment in time? I can't defend myself."  
  
--I don't kill people all the time, so don't get me wrong. I would never kill you.--  
  
"No?" Yugi asked ironically. "I just saw you kill someone, so how would I know? Anyway, someone is going to judge you for killing the woman. It was a murder."  
  
--Didn't you tell me minutes ago nobody has the right to judge another one's life?-- Yami asked, his hands slipping from under the shirt and wandering lower, until they lay flatly on his bottom. Yugi bit onto his lip to hold back the sound that wanted to make itself be heard but as the hands suddenly squeezed something shot through his body like a jolt and he couldn't stop the throaty moan and the flush that spread over his cheeks.  
  
"No." He grasped Yami's arms ashamedly and pulled at them. "Stop that."  
  
The pharaoh obliged and released the soft flesh, his hands roaming back upwards. Yugi sighed and relaxed a little bit again. Why did it feel so good to be in Yami's arms? He couldn't quite understand it. How could it feel good to be embraced by a murderer? He forced his mind back to the question Yami had asked before. He would think of his illogic feelings later.  
  
"To answer your question, we have a system that punishes a murder like that. Isn't that what you did in your country? Punishing people who had gone against the law?"  
  
--Yes, exactly, little one.-- Yugi could feel Yami nod slowly. --But don't worry, they won't find me and you will be out of trouble. I erased their memories of the whole thing. Nobody will know and you will tell them that you were just sick and stayed at home.--  
  
"You did what?!"  
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Well, that's it for now. So the teacher died. I had planned it before but was surprised that you all wanted her to die. Was that meant seriously?  
  
And don't worry. Yami and Yugi will get along again soon. But imagine you were in Yugi's position. I think Yugi is a person who can get over such a thing relatively quick. In the manga he heard about a lot of people dying (by Yami's hands but that he didn't know), while he somehow was involved, and he didn't have that big of a problem with it. So, at some point he will get over this here. But not now. Muahaha  
  
And tell me errors in my spelling, please.   
  
Review Responses:  
  
Yana5: Well, like I said, I killed her. Hehe, are your happy now? But I didn't hate her. She was a little bit annoying but that was it. Why did you hate her? O.o Thank you for the reviews.  
  
Sansi: Okay, vielleicht war es etwas übertrieben, gleich die Shadows zu rufen, aber ich dachte nur... snif... nun... heul... Nein, mal Scherz beiseite. Yami ist zwar bei mir völlig OOC, aber das war auch so beabsichtigt. Er wird sich erst später etwas ändern. Vielleicht ist er aber doch nicht OOC... wenn ich an die ersten Bände des Manga denke. Da hatte er auch keine Skrupel, andere Leute umzubringen. Na zumindest die posessiveness ist OOC. Well, thank you for the review. You made me think about a few things. And I'm sure you learn how to call the Shadows somedays, muahaha. Make Yami teach you  
  
Cheria: I hope the question about the 'Biaw' is now clear. The word is so normal to me by now that I just expected everybody to know. Sorry for that. If you ever have any question, just ask again. Thank your for the review.  
  
Ril: There another one who wanted the teacher dead! Ha, there you are! She is as dead as a dead teacher... er... Thank you for the reviews.  
  
Strega: Hey, thank you for the link! Now it worked! It's really naughty and inspiring. Weeh, you said that Yami would never let Yugi be 'dragged away by some screaming woman' like you said. I love that line! Because if you look at the whole thing from Yami's POV, you realise that the teacher is really just 'some screaming woman' to him. He doesn't even understand what she says. I laughed my head off at that thought! Thank you for the reviews!  
  
Pharaohs Angel aka Yami Tangela: Hey, you changed your nick, didn't you? Well, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I hope you like this one, too. Thank you for the reviews.  
  
Hakiri-Nefertiri: You were waiting for me to update a long time, weren't you? I'm looking very ashamed right now. If it weren't for your reviews demanding the next chapter, it would have taken me even longer :) And you wanted the teacher to die, too? Or did you expect it? Thank you for the many reviews.  
  
SilverWing147: You grinned? (points at SilverWing accusingly) You enjoyed the teacher dying!! (grins) Little joke. It's just that everybody wanted her to die. Well, I'm very, very glad you liked it. (huggles SilverWing)  
  
Kitty neko: Well... I updated now. Not soon, but I did. Thank you for the review.  
  
Yume Takato: Yes, Yami was very psychotic. And you want more? Today you got more. But now the lazy authoress has to take rest =) Sorry for making you wait all the time. Thank you for the reviews.  
  
SoulDreamer: Well, I did end my chapter at that point. I love cliffies. They make everybody scream at me angrily, heh. Thank you for the review  
  
rf: Another one who wanted the teacher dead. I can't count them (laughs) Jounouchi is really a poor one, isn't he? I have to make him feel better soon, I think. Yeah, and I have to agree again. Yami und Yugi are really cute together!! (squeals) And thank you for the review!  
  
Sarah Harvey: Wow, one person who hoped for Yami to behave (pats Sarah on the shoulder) You are the only one, I think. Thank you for that – and for the review.  
  
TJ: You don't... I correct myself -didn't- like the teacher? Why? (looks oblivious) Well, who liked the teacher? (looks around... nobody raises hand) Thank you for the review.  
  
Rikainiel: Okay, here you are. She is dead. Did I still your blood thirst now? And I updated (stares at her hand in disbelief) I did it... I DID IT!! YAY!!... Er... Thank you for the review.  
  
Connor Wolf: Why, thank you for praising my English. I don't know if I have a good English sense, I just learn from other great authors (grins). I think if I had English as my native language, my writing would be much better, because I love to write either language – English and German. There are big differences between English and German though. I realised that in English language you can give a text its message with much fewer words. That's why I like the language this much and that's why I'm determined to get better in using it. Well, this story is your favourite? I don't know why, but most people like this one best. I haven't figured out by now, why this is so. Thank you for the review! 


	7. Chapter Six

Through the Mirror – Chapter Six  
  
Woe, that was fast this time, ne? But I am on vacation next week and decided to get the new chapter out before. Well, I was inspired by my great readers, the greatest people ever (throws chocolate cookies to everyone) Here you are! You deserved them for making me a happy authoress!  
  
The Review Responses are at the end of the chapter (hugs reviewers once more). I'm so happy today! And do you know what that means?  
  
Yami/Yugi-FLUFF!! Yay!! You see the big fluffy stuffed monkey there on my bed? He looks at me and says: 'Write fluff.' And I say: 'Yes!!' My fluff- muse (grins)  
  
Well, all I have to say is: Enjoy!  
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
Reminder:  
  
Yes, exactly.Yugi could feel Yami nod slowly. But don't worry, they won't find me and you will be out of trouble. I erased their memories of the whole thing. Nobody will know and you will tell them that you were just sick and stayed at home.  
  
"You did what?!"  
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
---I erased their memories.---  
  
Yugi shifted uneasily, wishing he could look Yami in the eye equally and talk to him not squashed against him. But at the same time he didn't want to talk about the weird things happening around him any further. Maybe it was a good idea to drop the whole subject for a while, even if he wanted to know so many things. For example, how had Yami killed the teacher? He hadn't even touched her. She had just fallen down and had been dead, some strange energy crackling around her body. Now Yami talked about other dimensions, about being pharaoh and having the right to do whatever pleased him and about erasing the memories of other people. Probably it really wasn't so wise to ask him any more questions and probably he didn't even want to know what the answers were. Maybe Yami was going to erase his memory, too, because he wouldn't agree with him. Maybe he already -had- done so and he just didn't know anymore. Shivering Yugi tried to sit up but didn't succeed once more. He just wanted to stand up, stretch a bit and eventually run away. Wasn't that allowed?  
  
---Yugi, you don't have to be afraid. I won't harm you.---Yami's soft voice flooded his mind, filling every corner with warmth and contentment. Yugi struggled against the sensation of Yami mentally soothing his restless spirit, shaking his head forcefully to chase the luring feeling away, which seemed to wrap him into a blanket of cosiness. No, he didn't want to feel good right now, he didn't want Yami to give him a false feeling of happiness. He didn't want him to control his mind!  
  
---Still, Yugi.---Yami murmured. ---I won't control you. You're just so tensed and you need to calm down a bit.---  
  
"No, go out of my head!" Yugi's breath quickened as panic overcame him, the tears, which were now too familiar to his eyes, welling up and running down his face, just to drip onto Yami's school-uniform. The same clothes he wore, Yugi noticed, his head spinning. All the same. Same hair, same clothes. Yugi choked back a sob, pushing against the other body to free himself. "What do you want? Why are you here? I'm just like any other teen around, why don't you go and 'choose' one of them? Why me? Why -me-?! I don't want you to take control of me! Don't want you to..."  
  
---Why should I take control of you?--- Yami let him lean back a bit so their eyes met and cocked his head to the side, confusion showing through his concern.  
  
Confusion? Concern? Yugi swallowed the lump in his throat, looking up at the other boy with fear and shock.  
  
---I don't want a lifeless puppet, bending to my every command.--- Yami's eyes darkened, their red now a colour of dried blood, so very entrancing and captivating.  
  
---And I don't want just anyone.---  
  
Those eyes. Enchanting, alluring, so very, very deep. Yugi had always liked red best. The colour was able to change so quickly from aggressive fire to soft ruby to the lurking and dangerous colour of dried blood. That all was summed up now in one mere pair of eyes, half lidded by heavy lashes, looking down on him.  
  
---Even if I could have every treasure, every single one in my hand, I want to possess only one. There is only one worth waiting for and only one worth running away from everything familiar and into a world of strangeness and noise and chaos. Only one. It is the rarest jewel, unfound and hidden on the dirty ground of a forgotten chest, under all the layers of dust time dared to whisper upon it. I will ignore all the treasures of the world trying to catch me with their mundane shine and leave them behind to just have the one and only. And I want it remaining untainted. I want to polish it and free its real surface, even if it's blinding me in its pure intensity, and then I want to put it down onto a cushion of silk and velvet and take care of it, protect it from all influence in the world. I want to sit down beside it and watch it all day and night, never closing an eye to rest. Never would anyone be allowed to flash a glance in its direction, let alone come near it or touch it. It's mine and my right alone to have it.---  
  
Yami paused and Yugi could only stare at him in awe. In utter bewilderment. Was this boy, so full of desire and an ache so clearly visible in his eyes, the same as the fierce creature he had seen before and now pictured in his head? The same who was capable of killing innocent people because they somehow came cross him in a wrong way? Were they the same? Impossible.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yugi blinked away the now cold tears which had clung to his eyes from his crying, silently cursing the weak tone of his voice. "I don't understand."  
  
---It's something so precious nobody could have stood in its light and walked away unfazed. Its surface is a mirror, showing the ones looking at it themselves and all they miss or do wrong. Its perfect violet depth is so clear and soft it makes me yearn for something I've never had. It shows me what I need and what it needs itself. And who am I to not grant my jewel its secretly spoken wish? I can see its longing, feel it like midday sun to my skin. It's making me want to... to reach out and to take and finally have. And it's making me want something I never ever wanted before. It's making me want to share, to give.---  
  
"What- what do you mean by that?" Yugi had not the slightest clue, but felt how honest and urgent the words were. It made him shiver. Such an intensity. What could make a person as Yami feel so much? So sincere? "What is this jewel you talk about?"  
  
A smile enlightened Yami's features, softening his eyes even more, whose colour had changed to that of a glowering ruby.  
  
---You will understand, Aibou.--- he said gently. ---Soon.---  
  
"But..." Yugi bit his lower lip. That was unfair. First Yami told him something and then he refused to explain it. He wanted to know what made Yami crave so much. Wasn't it materialistic to depend on a thing like that? And was that the real reason Yami was here? Did he search for this something? Was he going to find it here? Or did he find it already?  
  
---Yes, that is the reason I am here and yes, I did find it.--- Yami grinned, a boyish glint to his eyes that made him look so much younger than before. Yugi didn't recognise this side of him and it made him wonder if there wasn't really more to Yami than a ruthless murderer. His fear had made him forget that there was always something good in everyone, even in people like Yami or Katsuya Jounouchi or any other of the bullies. There were always reasons for their behaviour. Nothing and nobody was simply black or white. He had never believed in that but nonetheless acted it. Shame on him.  
  
Even so that didn't make the murder any better. It wasn't acceptable. It was not even forgivable. Not as long as there was no regret. Without regret or hesitation Yami kept being dangerous and had to be taken away from others. Somehow he felt responsible for making sure that the one claiming to be pharaoh did not hurt anyone anymore. He looked into Yami's eyes, which were fixed on his unwaveringly, not even blinking once as if he could fade away any second.  
  
"You didn't read my thoughts again, did you?" He sighed in exhaustion, already knowing the answer.  
  
---Every single one, Yugi.---  
  
Why did he even bother to ask? Yugi shook his head tiredly. Seemingly he couldn't tell Yami not to do that, like he couldn't tell him to go away or to simply let him go. Made aware again which position they were in, Yugi looked down. He still sat on Yami's lap. Yes, so much he remembered. But why did it look as if he was glued to his hips? Didn't he try to get away minutes ago? And why were his arms at Yami's sides? He wasn't almost -hugging- him, was he?  
  
Hurriedly he looked back up to Yami and blushed embarrassedly.  
  
"I am not!" He stuttered stubbornly.  
  
---I didn't say anything.--- Yami's steady gaze grew amused.  
  
"Your eyes clearly said 'Yes, you are'." Yugi blushed even more and let go of the other's sides.  
  
---Oh, but I really liked that.--- Yami smiled broadly.  
  
"I'm sure you would." Yugi couldn't decide if he wanted to try to get off Yami's lap again or not. Yami knew how to hold him back anyway. But even if...  
  
---Why are you so determined to run away from me?--- Yami's eyes suddenly were serious again, the change of colours and shape changing so fast and the tightening of the previously soft embrace so unexpected that Yugi gasped and flinched a little in shock.  
  
"Isn't that clear by now?" Yugi asked.  
  
---What am I to do to make you forgive me?--- The hands at his back clenched to fists in his uniform jacket. ---To make you feel secure around me again. Like before.---  
  
"Do you think it is so easy?" Yugi's slightly better mood slipped away and gave way to anger. "That you could just go and say sorry without even meaning it and then everything is alright? Do you really think that? Beside that, making me forgive you is not the point of this thing! I have nothing to do with this. You have to do something for those who suffer under the woman's death now."  
  
---What can I do then?--- Yami's helpless features made Yugi bite back the ironic comment he had on his lips. ---I have no idea how to make something up to other people. I never had to.---  
  
"You don't regret what you did, do you?" Yugi sighed, like the last time already knowing the answer. This time he didn't wait for the reply though. "It makes no sense to make up to someone if you don't even know that you did something wrong at all. That wouldn't make anybody feel any better and it would be useless in the end."  
  
He fell silent for a moment, looking down at the blanket beside them for a moment without really seeing it before glancing up to Yami again and speaking up, "Could I just ask you to think about one thing, Yami?"  
  
---Yes.---  
  
"Think about the family of the woman you killed. Think about those who are lonely right now without her. Every human being has a place in life after all, not only in his own but in others' as well. You ripped her out of the lives of many people and left are holes who nobody will be able to fill."  
  
---Life will go on.--- Yami looked to the side. ---And so will they.---  
  
"Just think about it, Yami." Yugi requested definitely. "Please do so. It would make me feel much better."  
  
---Then I will.--- Yami closed his eyes slowly, making it possible for Yugi to watch his eyelids glide over the wonderful ruby red orbs, his lashes coming in contact with the skin on his cheek oh so tenderly like the feathers of a new-born bird, so thin and soft one would barely feel their touch.  
  
"I hope you do." Yugi whispered, having to tear his eyes away from Yami's face.  
  
---I'm tired.--- Yami admitted softly. ---Using my powers always drains my energy.---  
  
"Then sleep." Was Yugi's advice, his voice also obviously strained from the actions and from all the crying.  
  
---I can't.--- Yami's eyes fluttered open again but he looked as if he did it against his will. The fear on his face was sincere. ---You will run away. I have to...---  
  
"I won't."  
  
Hope flickered in Yami's eyes and Yugi couldn't bring himself to taking back what he had said. And he had meant it anyway. If Yami really lived in another dimension and wasn't used to this world, if it really all was true and he was going to think about what he had done earlier, then he was sure he was able to give him a second chance someday. He believed in second chances. Probably Yami would show him that he deserved one.  
  
---You are gonna stay?--- Yami asked uncertainly.  
  
"Yes, I am." Then Yugi grinned weakly and shook his head. "You should know that by now. You read my thoughts, right?"  
  
Yami's eyes fell shut immediately and relief flooded Yugi's mind. Not his own relief, he noticed and somehow that made him relax inwardly. Nobody could fake such emotions. Nobody.  
  
He squeaked in shock as Yami's body suddenly slacked and sank into him, making him fall backwards onto the bed, the other boy landing on top of him. Yugi stared at the ceiling in surprise. Did Yami really fall asleep this fast?  
  
His gaze shifted to the head resting on his chest, only able to see black hair with blond and violet streaks, like his own. To see it from this ankle was unusual for him. He smiled a bit but it faded away through the next train of thoughts.  
  
Watching Yami sleep made him seem so vulnerable. So much like a human. Like he was a child that didn't know what consequences his actions entailed. And maybe that he was. Maybe he just had no idea.  
  
"I'm going to show you." Yugi swore to himself. "You will understand."  
  
Then he slipped his arms around Yami's sleeping form and snuggled into him, enjoying the warming weight on his body. Sighing contentedly Yami shifted upwards until his face came to rest in the nape of Yugi's neck. After that he stilled, nuzzling into the hair of his look-alike, who chuckled softly and then, too, closed his eyes. He didn't need long after that to follow him into a deep slumber.  
  
thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalin ethisisalinethisisaline  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Everything goes as planned and I took an advice of a reviewer (Hello there, Strega and thank you very much) to heart and didn't rush it with Yugi forgiving Yami. It actually gave me a really, really good idea. I think it is right that Yugi wouldn't forgive Yami that fast but I believe that he would give him a second chance. A chance to understand and to show him he knew he did something wrong.  
  
What do you think of this chapter? Good? Bad? Worse? Worst? Or even worse? (grins) Well, I for one had fun writing it but I'm not sure about you. I used a slightly different style this time but I don't think it's something you noticed. I hope so 0.o  
  
I thank those who told me what was wrong last chapter and in those before last chapter. I noticed the error with the punctuation only a short time ago. It's how you put them in German language and I automatically used them in English. Actually my English teacher – a genius with a doctorate and professorship – told me even he didn't know all the rules of English punctuation. So I'm relieved. (smiles) Tell me errors nevertheless, heh.  
  
Review Responses:  
  
Misseystar: Wow, thank you for that really long review. I enjoyed very much reading it (hugs Misseystar). Well, but don't get it wrong that this chapter is out so fast after the last. Ask the people around, sometimes I need months to update (hides in shame). I hope your assignment has worked out good (because working at it the whole night must be hard)... And then again a Thank You! For adding me to your favourite list! About the cliche- thing: I don't know if my story isn't cliche. But I always loved stories best, where Yami and Yugi met in AU. It's easy not to fall into cliche then because you have so many possibilities. I would be happy if they weren't OOC but it's AU and I did my best. I read the whole thing and they are horribly OOC. But that doesn't bother me much. While reading I just found many, many spelling errors. (laughs). Actually I don't think that your grammar is so bad. Not that I'm an expert but I've seen worse. Thank you very, very much for the review. It helped to make my day!  
  
Rikainiel: It's not often I kill people in Fanfics. I once had a guy in a (German) story, who should have long since died. He lives today and he will live forever, I guess. I don't know why I managed to kill the teacher. I don't like her but I didn't like this guy either. Well, Yami feeling Yugi up that way wasn't planned like this. But because we all are a bit hentai- minded we can accept this little out-of-plan action, right. Muahaha.Thank you for the review!  
  
YumeTakato: I'm glad you liked it, but psychotic-Yami will be cured in the future. (giggles) Yami is going to... err... I won't tell. Thank you for the review.  
  
Chersakuchria: Why do you all have to have so difficult names? Well, I never watched The Wizard of Oz. I think I missed something because most people did. (grins) But the wicked teacher is dead. And everybody is happy, because... she won't disturb the two anymore. Oh, but that isn't right. She does. Yugi is angry at Yami because of it. Seems like she will make Yami miserable even if dead. Hehe, poor Yami. He's just a little possessive and such. Thank you for the review.  
  
Yana5: You love how Yami owns Yugi? Yugi didn't complain in this chapter but I think he isn't so happy about it. Hmpf, he will be! Thank you for the review.  
  
Kitty Neko: I will update. Thanks.  
  
Ril: You like it? Why, thank you! Seems like Yami is head over heels. And Yugi is so naive, he doesn't even realise. Yami practically said it into his face. Yugiii!! Thank you for the review.  
  
Laryna6: Yes, I updated. And now I updated again. Child of Darkness hopefully comes next but perhaps I'll work at this thingy a while longer. Thank you for the review.  
  
Pharaohs Angel: I like Yami being so possessive, too. It's really interesting, because so may things get in his way. The two of them will get along again but only half the way. Yugi doesn't forgive Yami yet. We will see. Thank you for the review.  
  
Lucidscreamer: Thank you for the correction. I already noticed that but I'm glad you mentioned it anyway. In Germany the punctuation is also outside the quotation marks (in Germany we call them 'Gänsefüsschen'. In English that would mean 'Goosefeet'. Funny, don't you think? (laughs) ). Thank you for noticing and telling and thank you for the review.  
  
Panseru: I make mistakes. Many of them actually. I read over my story today and was frozen with shock (shivers). Well, thank you for the review. I'm glad you liked my story!  
  
Cattypatra: Thanks for the praise, I'm really flattered that so many people think I can write well. I worked hard for it at school and it helps me very much to read stories on the internet. I learn through that what sounds nice and how to spell right. Well, thank you for the review.  
  
Strega: Reading your criticism made me think. Yeah, I decided you were right. You read it up there, I think. I liked this review because it actually helped not only to inspire me but to improve my work. I would have rushed it otherwise, I think. The scene with Yugi running away from Yami was so predictable. Perhaps because of that I should have let Yami let Yugi run away. It's just, that didn't fit his character at that point. There's a progress in the story with Yami appearing and Yami vanishing. At first he was there just a little moment, then a little longer - something like that. At one point he had decided to step out of the shadows and after that he didn't want to let Yugi go. I hope that was explained right. Uh, yeah. Thank you for the great review.  
  
Sansi: Du kennst die ersten Manga nicht? Das ist wirklich schade, denn obwohl der Zeichenstil anfangs schrecklich ist, versteht man doch so einiges besser als vorher. Und ab Band 4 ändert sich der Stil auch so langsam. Yami grinst nicht mehr so irre und so was. Dieses Grinsen muss man gesehen haben, es ist so was von psycho (schauder). Dass dein Laptop kaputt ist ist wirklich schade. Ich hoffe er funktioniert bald mal wieder. Wir haben ja schon länger nichts voneinander gehört. Danke für den Kommi.  
  
Connor Wolf: (laughs) Oh, great, yeah, you have a point there! But one page in English language would take me two pages in German language. That's what it's like. Perhaps the words are longer? Or it's just something else? I don't know. I always have very long sentences in my German stories. Anyway, I felt very like describing today so I described very much. I was descriptive (nods unintelligently). Um... ignore that last sentence. You liked the Yami/Yugi-stuff? I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for the nice review. I liked it.  
  
(throws chocolate cookies at the reviewers once more =)) 


	8. Chapter Seven

Hello, there! Slightly longer chapter ahead!  
  
I come to like this story very much after I thought a long time about just letting it get lost. I don't know. It didn't mean very much to me, I think. Now I want to continue it and I will.  
  
This chapter makes me bang my head on my desk though. There's just something wrong with it and I can't see what. It knocks at my temple with an irony fist and says: 'Hey, this is crap! Try again?'. T.T I read it over and there is nothing I didn't want to happen. Maybe it's Anzu? Waaah!  
  
Um... I pushed the rating up. It's now rated PG-13. I am unsure about it though, because in Germany we don't have ratings on fan fiction.  
  
Well, Review Responses are at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!  
  
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
The air blowing against him was warm and he felt content like that, just letting himself float in dark nothingness. Pitch-black nothingness. Normally it made him quiver in fear but the feeling of the company of another being at his side soothed the uneasiness. He could have stayed like that forever, he thought, just lying on air, nothing but the presence of something warm and intimate all around him, snuggling to his skin like a touch. Actually the air he rested on smelled familiar. He had the distinct feeling of having taken in the scent before. And he found he loved it.  
  
It was the scent of heated cinnamon. Tasty, delicious, dainty cinnamon with a spicy edge accompanying it that screamed 'devour me'. Oh, how he wished to do that!  
  
Breathing in the scent deeply he was shocked to find that the source of it was moving away from him. The warmth around him left, the air blowing against him losing a few degrees of temperature. He shivered, the darkness around him now not all that comfortable anymore. He tried to reach out and hold it back but the nothingness was so empty and there was nothing he could grab and pull back against him. He had lost the company of the one chasing his fears away and they returned full force, making him whimper. He wanted to cry, to scream, but somehow there was no voice to speak, there was no sound of anything around him, not even his breathing, which had to be quite harsh by now. His eyes widened in panic, the darkness closing in and there was nothing he could do about it. Cold, uncaring darkness. Coming nearer and nearer. Encircling him.  
  
Yugi woke up with a start, perspiration sticking to his forehead, dampening his hair and his clothes. He tried to calm his breath, which came out in uncontrollable pants, and wiped the sweat off his face with his uniform sleeve. Why did he sleep in his uniform anyway, he wondered. And why was he in bed? It had to be midday already. He looked over at his alarm clock and jumped to his feet in shock. Darn, he was late! School was halfway over and he had overslept badly!  
  
Yawning Yugi straightened his clothes and pulled the chain of the puzzle over his head quickly. Then he raced out the door and, snatching his schoolbag which rested at the door, out of the house. He didn't take the time wondering why it was there, he focused on getting to school as fast as he could.  
  
Arriving there he stopped dead in his tracks. The police? Something stirred in the back of his mind and he remembered the weird dream he had had. About a stranger killing his teacher. No. Not a stranger. His beautiful illusion. The beautiful tainted illusion. But it couldn't be real, could it? It felt so real though. Too real. Could it be...? Oh, no. Of course it was real... wasn't it?  
  
Pupils crowded at the side, looking at the scene and Yugi hurried over to them, spotting Anzu, a girl he knew from his classes.  
  
"What's going on here?" he asked with a dark premonition. If it really was true... well, it had to be. No dream could have been as long and felt as real as this one.  
  
"Yugi?" The girl turned around to him and he was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Well... I don't know really... Izumi-sensei... she... she had some kind of heart attack and now she is... she is..."  
  
"Oh..." Yugi swallowed. It had not been a dream then. And it made sense. Waking up in his school uniform. School being halfway over at that time... But where was Yami? Why had he not been there as he woke up? Should he have been glad now that the other boy had left? Why did he feel so lonely instead?  
  
"Where have you been?" Anzu asked, forcing the current subject down and wiping the remaining traces of tears out of her eyes.  
  
"I overslept." Yugi told her, his voice shaking. He wasn't a person to lie easily. But Anzu obviously took it as a sign of shock over the death of their teacher. A thing he already knew. A thing he had seen happening before his own eyes.  
  
They fell silent now, just watching the scene before them. The policemen talked to the teachers and to a few of his schoolmates who had been there the moment the woman had died. Other then that nothing happened.  
  
The arm suddenly snaking around him from behind came unexpected and Yugi squeaked jumping. Soft breath tickled his neck before he felt a face nuzzling into his hair.  
  
---Hello, little one.--- Yami greeted, leaning into him. ---I was looking for you.---  
  
Yugi relaxed automatically after he had recognised who the person was and turned his head slightly so he could look at Yami surprised and strangely relieved. He came back? Yami just smiled at him, his features showing great affection and joy of having found him.  
  
Anzu had turned around as she heard the noise and her eyes almost doubled in size. "What... what... er... who is this?"  
  
"Um... Anzu..." Yugi blushed a furious red and watched the girl glancing from him to Yami and back, then down and at the arm resting possessively on his stomach. He squirmed under her puzzled look, waiting for her reaction. Why did Yami have to be so touchy? He had hoped to be able to keep him hidden somehow.  
  
---Hidden?--- Yami asked confusedly, shifting against him a little bit so that his head was resting on Yugi's shoulder. ---But why?---  
  
Why? Yugi sighed inwardly. To avoid questions. To avoid unwanted attention from others. To be able to be invisible among them.  
  
---Why would you want that?---  
  
Before Yugi could think of an answer to that, Anzu spoke up again.  
  
"Yugi, who is that?" She repeated, her eyes worried. "You... you two look so much alike. He doesn't bother you, does he? You look troubled."  
  
"No!" Yugi replied hurriedly. "I met him... um... two days ago I think and he... we... I..."  
  
Anzu's frown melted into a knowing smile and Yugi had the sudden urge to run and hide. She misunderstood, didn't she? She thought that he and Yami were... "Are the two of you together?" Yugi's face darkened to a deeper shade of red.  
  
---What does she want?--- Yugi felt Yami stiffening. ---Why is she looking at you that way?---  
  
"Yami?" Fearing that Yami could leash out again Yugi turned around and looked at him warningly, even though the colour of his face ruined the effect a little, before continuing to speak in a light voice. "This is my friend Anzu. Anzu? This is Yami."  
  
He forced a smile onto his lips and looked back to the girl, who bowed slightly and then stuck out her hand for Yami to shake.  
  
"Nice to meet you." She said, grinning. "I'm glad that Yugi finally found someone. I had been really worried for a while now."  
  
Yugi noticed her guarded stance, which she tried to cover in a futile attempt of politeness, and groaned inwardly. She knew. She saw the dangerous glint in Yami's eyes.  
  
"Take her hand, Yami." He demanded in a desperate whisper. "Please."  
  
---No.--- Both of Yami's arms came up and he buried them in the clothes of the smaller teen in front of him.  
  
"That's childish, Yami." Yugi looked at him over his shoulder.  
  
"Um... I'll let you two alone then, I think." Anzu said, letting her offered arm fall back to her side. "There are no classes today, Yugi, so I'll see you tomorrow, right?"  
  
Yugi nodded hastily and watched Anzu walk away in a quick pace. "Bye."  
  
Silence.  
  
"You frightened her." Yugi said unhappily. "Can't you be a bit more polite, if nothing else?"  
  
---Polite?--- Yami slowly stepped around him until he stood in front of him, never losing touch while doing so, and a soft hand cupped his cheek. Yugi relished the warmth radiating from his look-alike, suddenly remembering the dream he had had half an hour ago. He shivered slightly. --- I don't have to be polite if I don't want to be.---  
  
"You will have to be." He said sternly. "I -need- you to be, or else my grandfather won't approve of you being near me for example."  
  
---That's not his business.--- Yami's hand on his cheek wandered slightly, his index finger now tracing Yugi's jaw line. ---He can't decide if I'm near you or not.---  
  
"Why would you think he can't?" Yugi frowned deeply. "Because you're pharaoh where you come from? You have no such power here. You're just like every other teen to all of the people around. Look at them. They won't bow down before you if you tell them to. So why do you think my grandfather is an exception?"  
  
---He will respect me if you tell him who I am.--- Yami's eyes darkened with determination. The colour of dried blood again. Yugi couldn't resist but stare at them.  
  
"No, you don't understand!" Yugi told him dazedly, finding it hard to concentrate. "We have no kind of pharaoh or king here. Everyone has the same rights and is equal to the one's around them. There is no way you can make those people, my grandfather included, obey to your wishes like that. They won't listen."  
  
---Hm.--- Understanding dawned in Yami's crimson eyes, lightening their colour, but it was a different kind of understanding than Yugi had hoped for. ---So that's why you behave so rebellious all the time.---  
  
"What?" Yugi's eyebrows rose. First he had thought it was just a joke but then he realised that Yami was completely serious.  
  
---You use to complain and you demand things and you never obey when I tell you to do something.--- Yami shrugged.  
  
"I'm not demanding." Yugi pouted slightly. "I never am. Give one example of me being demanding."  
  
---Oh, there are a few.--- Yami leaned into him, his hands falling down from Yugi's face to his hips and from there on wandering over his back. --- For example...---  
  
"Yeah?" Yugi breathed in warm, intoxicating cinnamon as Yami drew even closer and it made his knees feel weak and his head spin. He was reminded of his dream again, the scent wakening the desire in him to taste the cinnamon-skin, to fill his whole being with it. It was an urge he could not resist. Barely could he fight himself into resistance.  
  
---For example did you complain as I did this...--- Yami's hands dived downwards in a smooth movement, gripping onto the soft flesh of Yugi's buttocks and making him squeak in shock and delight. ---And then you demanded for me to stop.---  
  
"Yami!" Yugi stuttered, leaning back and staring into his eyes. "Stop that."  
  
Yami's hands immediately released him and instead came to rest on the small of his back, pulling him up and into his awaiting body. ---There. I proved it. You are demanding.---  
  
"But not as demanding as you!" Yugi growled. "You are plain outrageous. Other people could have accused you of molesting them by now."  
  
---Other people would have been very happy if I chose them in your stead.--- Yami blinked at him, his eyes showing not a bit of the vanity lying in his words as if he just stated an obvious fact.  
  
"Then try it." Yugi bit back a laugh at the thought of Yami being slapped square in the face by raging women.  
  
---They would never slap me.--- Yami's face had taken on a horror stricken expression and Yugi laughed freely now as he realised Yami had seen the picture he had imagined.  
  
"You can't just go and touch other people like that." Yugi grinned cheekily. "Usually one doesn't let strangers grab their bottoms. You didn't even ask for permission. It's a very privet territory."  
  
---Well, then I'm the one to invade yours and officially claim it as my own now.--- Yami's hands came down again, this time making each movement last though, each caress linger before his hands reached their destination. Yugi gasped as they outlined the curve of his backside carefully. ---Mine.---  
  
"You're insolent." He told him, slapping the hands away with renewed resolve and stepped back. "Did you ever hear of personal space?"  
  
---You put up a fight?--- Yami's eyes glistered with amusement and want as they roamed his figure. Yugi crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to hide from the eager eyes. It didn't work.  
  
"You can't have me." Yugi's gaze hardened. "I don't know you and you don't know me. I'm not that easy."  
  
---If you could just see what I see you would understand how I feel.--- The amusement died down, making room for deep longing. ---If you could just have a look at yourself. Perfect. Desirable. You deny me all I want to see, all I want to feel. I want you to make me... feel the perfection your eyes always offer so freely. You provoke me with those heated side-glances, arouse me with those thoughts of all you want to do to me when I'm near you. And you wonder why I can't stop touching? Your eyes say 'kiss me' and you pull back at the same time. You make me go mad with those thoughts you have...---  
  
"Thoughts?" Yugi asked, too speechless to say more than one word.  
  
---Yes, the thoughts.--- Yami stepped closer to him again, making him shiver. ---Of how you want to devour me and of how you want to be near me and of how you want me to touch you. Do I have to continue? There is lots more you think all the time. Of how you can't resist me or of how much you like my eyes and of how alluring you find I am. And that should make me think you don't want me?---  
  
Yami stood directly in front of him now, so that their bodies were touching. His arms were at his sides, hands fisted as if he had to keep them down by force.  
  
---Now that you try to teach me so much, let me teach you something for once, innocent one.--- Yami went on, never breaking eye contact. ---You can't expect of someone to be able to hold themselves back if you keep on thinking such thoughts about them. From the very beginning you did that to me and my control is slowly slipping away.---  
  
As if to prove his point, Yami let his hands slide up Yugi's sides, making his breath hitch, up his chest and over his shoulder until they lay on his cheeks, where they stroked the velvety skin. ---Right now I feel how mutual our wishes are. 'Lean down, kiss me.' you say and it's really hard for me to resist if you do that.---  
  
"I- I don't..." Yugi whispered, his voice unsteady.  
  
---Your mind doesn't lie.--- Yami said quietly. ---Neither does your voice.- --  
  
"But..." Yugi wanted to shake his head to clear it but found it impossible to do so. What did he want? What did he want? Did he really want Yami to kiss him? Or was it Yami making him believe he wanted to?  
  
---Rubbish!--- The look Yami gave him showed hurt. ---I told you I would never control you.---  
  
"How would I know?!" Yugi gazed down. "Tell me, how can I trust you? First I did, but then you killed my teacher and refused to let me go as I told you to do that. You trapped me and held me down, telling me the woman deserved to die just because she went against your wishes. Wishes at that, which she couldn't even have been able to know! I am afraid of you, Yami. Afraid of what you are willing to do to get what you want. Afraid of your ruthlessness. Afraid of the urge to forget all that and let you have what you want."  
  
---Yugi...---  
  
"Can't you tell that I fear you by my thoughts you claim to know so well?" Yugi leaned his face into the hands holding it. "I fear you as much as I want you."  
  
---How can I make you trust me?--- Yami asked, desperation making his words waver.  
  
"I told you how." Yugi closed his eyes tightly against the picture of Yami being in so much pain.  
  
---I tried.--- He could tell Yami's face came closer to his by the breath tickling his skin ever so slightly. ---Aibou, open your eyes. Look at me.---  
  
Yugi obeyed and met the burning crimson eyes. ---After I woke up I went to do what you asked of me. I – I saw the people standing around the corpse, crying and staring unbelievingly. A little girl, not older than five years, sat on the floor, tears streaming down her face. She held the woman's hand, tugging at it and begged her to wake up. There was nothing I felt. Nothing. They cried and I stood there and felt nothing. I don't want to lie to you and say I regretted everything I did as soon as I took in the scenario. But I want you to show me what they felt. I want to understand. While I stood there looking at all of them I felt very... lonely. Lost. It hurt so much to look at them. It hurt. They have something I don't have. Something I don't understand. Please, show me!---  
  
Thick silence followed his words. Words full of uncertainty and pain. Honest words. Yugi had not expected them, nor had he expected for Yami to run off first thing after waking up and try to understand what Yugi had meant. Yami had not managed to understand but he was willing to. He had wondered before if Yami deserved the second chance. And yes, he was certain now, that he deserved one.  
  
"I'll help you." Yugi said, determination making his voice sound raw.  
  
---What if I can't feel like that?--- Yami asked, fear slipping into his features. It made his face appear young, like that of a lost child, trying to find the right way home. ---What if I don't have the ability to feel like that?---  
  
"You have." Yugi smiled reassuringly. "Everyone has. And I will show you that you have, too."  
  
---Yugi...--- The hands at his cheeks tightened and Yami closed the gap between them, placing a desperate kiss onto his lips, just lingering for a short moment before he drew back, his hands falling down to Yugi's back and pressing them close together. ---I need you, Aibou. Need you so much...---  
  
Yugi didn't reply, but his thoughts did as desperately, making up for the lack of words just perfectly.  
  
'I need you, too, Yami. I don't know why, but I really do.'  
  
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
Phew, now that is done!  
  
Well, now it seems Yami doesn't regret. But does he really not? He is so much in pain, maybe he just doesn't realise? If you try so hard to feel something, how do you know you actually feel it? Is it possible to feel something without knowing you feel it while you desperately try to feel it?  
  
Think about that and keep it in mind until next chapter and please tell me what you think about the matter. It makes my head hurt.  
  
Review Responses:  
  
Hey, you great, great, wonderful people! Your reviews ROCK! They help, encourage and they make me happy! Your opinions are important to me! Thanks!  
  
Yana5: Yes, Yami talked about Yugi. That was a big metaphor, heh. It will come up eventually in one of the next chapters. Thank you for the review.  
  
Ril: Thanks, the chapter was fun for me to write, so it makes me happy to see that you liked it as well. Thank you for the review.  
  
SoulDreamer: Adorable? Yami and being adorable? Hm, a little bit strange of a description of him (grins) But I think he is, too, though he runs around and killing people (muahaha) Thanks for the review.  
  
Laryna6: Hey, it's great that you share my opinion of the fact that it would need a few more examples before Yugi gets through to Yami. He can't change over night, can he? Well, thank you for the review and the author's alert (smile).  
  
Pharaohs Angel: Yes, Yugi is definitely much too over trusting in the manga and in the TV-series as well. Do you remember the episode as he met Bandit Keith while the guy was controlled by Marik?  
  
Badit Keith:'(looming over Yugi) Give me your puzzle...just for a little moment...'  
  
Yugi: 'Okay, sure.'  
  
... Waaah, I wanted to scream and kick him in the butt then. So naive... Well, thank you for the review.  
  
Kitty Neko: Update done. There you are.  
  
YumeTakato: Everyone seems to think Yami is being cute here... Is he? Well, I certainly think he is, but... oh, perhaps he really is. (shrugs) Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the review.  
  
The evil one: Did you get the E-Mail? I hope so. Well, Thank you for the review!  
  
Lady Threarah: Thank you, I work on my spelling very much. But I am sure I would be dead without the spell-check. What would I be without it? Thank you for the review.  
  
Lucidscreamer: Hey, thanks for the error, I'll correct it! The spell-check just didn't tell me, because the word 'ankle' does exist as well (grins). American English and British English have DIFFERENT punctuation rules?! I can't believe it! I'll never learn how to do that right, I think! Well... (sobs) I'll just do what feels right (sighs) Thank you for the review and this interesting piece of information.  
  
Field of View: Waiii, I love your description of Yami's character. He's a little helpless in Yugi's world and Yugi isn't one to deny help if someone needs it. That's what I think. So Yami x Yugi will live till... erm... the end of the world, yes (cough, cough)... Hope you liked this chapter! Thank you for the nice review. There is a smile stuck on my face now. It won't go away (smiles).  
  
SilverWing147: Hey, there you are! You liked the jewel thing? Well, It somewhat flew to me. I wanted to do something like that for a long time now. Just as desperately as I want to write a scene or a story about rain. Rain is lovely. It's something one can imagine easily and it can be described so well... Now imagine Yami in the rain... (sighs)... er... Waah, I'm babbling. Thank you for the review!  
  
Misseystar: Wow, what a long, long, long review! I'll take my time to answer it thoroughfully!  
  
Cliched stories. Well, I stumbled over a few AUs which were cliched, but you're right. It's easier not to fall into cliche if you write an AU. But cliche is not always a bad thing, I think. I read a lot of good stories which were and they can be very good. Though they are not that special most of the time. You know the idea and it doesn't get stuck in your mind because there were thousands which were the same.  
  
Right, in AU stories OOCness is often necessary to make the characters believable. But you have to put them in a fitting role to their character as well so you don't have to change so much. Like you said, they have to have some elements of their original character.  
  
You think I update fast? (grins) Can't be. Usually I take my pretty time but now I'm just in the flow of the story. I have to look up your stories. I need something new to read anyway and you made me curious.  
  
You hand in assignments without proofreading them? Well, I proof-read my chapters thousands of times and there are nonetheless errors left -.- We don't have assignments to hand in though. We just have homework and sometimes a project or something like that. How often do you have to do assignments? I guess they mean a lot of work.  
  
That Yugi is giving a second chance to Yami so the romance won't die down is not the only reason. Or do you think Yugi wouldn't give Yami a second chance in the original series? He is kind and he is understanding. Of course would he, right?  
  
I like Yugi as naive as well, it makes him so cute. Despite the opinion of many others, he is one of my favourite characters (Many other people think he is a somewhat boring character. They like the insane one's better (grins)).  
  
You asked if you review helped?! Why, and how it did!! I loved it! Loved, loved, loved it! Thank you!!  
  
Rikainiel: (hands new cookies) Here you are! You don't mind the more hentaiish moments? Cool, that's nice to hear. Though I won't write a real hentai-scene. I have no experience with that and I don't want to ruin the story! We'll see how it develops. (grins) Thank you for the review.  
  
Voice-sama: Wow, schon wieder wer, der Deutsch ist! Ja, ich schreibe auf Animexx, aber bisher nicht viel mit Yu-Gi-Oh!... Bist du auch auf Animexx? Mein Nick da ist AmyF, vielleicht sieht man sich da ja mal! Danke für den Kommi (knuddelt Voice-sama) Es macht immer wieder Spaß wen aus Deutschland hier zu treffen!  
  
Sansi: Hi!! Ja, das hat wirklich Spaß gemacht zu schreiben. Ebenso wie dieses Kapitel. Ah, und du kennst also ein paar Bilder aus dem Manga? Schrecklich, diese Bilder, ne? Und vor allem Yamis... Lächeln... (schauder). Danke für den Kommi!! Man sieht sich!  
  
Cattypatra: Yeah, you're right. There are few decent Yami x Yugi's to find! It's like all the good author's died or something like that. Sad, really. Anyway, Yami isn't -that- insane, is he? He just expects too much – like he's the king and rules the world. Oh, he did, where he came from (cough). He has to learn. Is he -that- insane? Did I exaggerate? Well, hope for your opinion. Thank you for the review.  
  
Strega: It's realistic that Yugi is afraid of loosing control, isn't it? I sat there a long time, thinking about how it would be for me to be there instead of Yugi (not that way ;)) and wondered how I would react if I were him. Yeah, I would be very afraid of all the things Yami could do to me. That Yami fears Yugi could run away again is a weakness he shows and I think that makes it seem so special. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you liked this, too. I'd love to hear your opinion; I found it helps me very much to progress! It matters to me greatly! Thank you for helping me so much!  
  
Hakiri-Nefertiri: You two usually forget that I'm from Germany? Wow, that's nice! And I'm glad you like the story! Don't worry about your own writing skills. In a subject with your narrative language analysing and such things are harder because the teachers expect more from you. In my German class it's like that. Do you understand what I mean? (I'm struggling with my English right now...) Well, Thank you for your review!  
  
Wish maker: You spent all afternoon looking for the story? Was it that hard to find? And how did it come that you were looking for it in the first place? (grins) Well, Thank you for the review!  
  
Kairi-San: Thank you that you put me on your favourite-list! (bounces through the room happily) And I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!  
  
JSR: Ow, you got me with the Joey-thing! I changed the mentioned scene in the second chapter long ago on my computer but was too lazy to change it on ff.net as well. First Jou was planned as Yugi's friend but I had a change of mind after a long talk with a friend about it. I'll put the correct version of chapter two up soon, promised! I forgot all about it! The other thing you told me... yeah, I changed the rating. I am not used to things as ratings and I am unsure about them. I didn't want to do anything wrong. Well, thank you for the advice. The story now is PG-13. That should be okay, don't you think? Thank you for the review!  
  
That was it! That was the longest Review Response I ever wrote! Thank you all very much for the nice, nicer, nicest reviews!! 


	9. Chapter Eight

Through the Mirror – Chapter Eight

By Tara B Amy

Hiya, People!! I'm back!

Here is the next chapter (makes a dance of joy) Review replies are at the end of it (like every time) and besides that it's a slightly longer one, because I didn't want to cut the last scene in half. It would have ruined the effect of it. Wooohee! Enjoy!

"BlaBla" Normal speaking

---Blabla--- Yami speaking

::BlaBla:: Yugi's thoughts directed towards Yami

One more thing: I improved my punctuation in connection with direct speech a bit. If there are errors still, please tell me.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Confused Yugi walked home, Yami near by his side. The pharaoh was silent since they had left the school behind and just followed him now. He wondered why he was there, why he did what he did, why he really had left his home behind and why he had thrown himself into the complicated life of a future teen. Into his life.

Yami didn't answer. Yugi was sure he heard him think right now and he expected him to answer like he every time did. Nothing came. Yugi glanced sideways worriedly and looked at Yami, whose eyes were cast down. He seemed to be deep in thought, somewhere far, far away from everything around him. It was unusual for him to be so quiet and distracted.

"Yami," he asked, his voice shaking slightly. Before he could say anything else though, he stumbled, almost falling to the floor. As he had caught himself, he turned around to look down at... Jounouchi Katsuya?!

---Are you okay,--- Yami asked, one hand touching his shoulder and travelling through his hair. Yugi shuddered at the delicate feeling.

"Yes, I'm fine." He murmured, kneeling down beside the unconscious form of Jou. "But he seems to be hurt. Jounouchi-kun? Do you hear me?" He shook the still body carefully and was relieved as Jou turned and blinked his eyes open. Yugi stood up, looking at Jou cautiously. He had no good experience with the other teen so he kept his distance.

"Man, my head kills me," The blonde groaned, sitting up. "I'm sure he has iron where other's have hands... Hey! What the-"The moment he spotted Yugi and Yami he stiffened and slid back on the pavement as if they had bitten him. "What are you doing here?"

---Yugi?--- Yami's voice sounded alarmed in Yugi's head.

"Don't do anything, Yami," Yugi whispered warningly to him. "I know what I'm doing. It's okay. No need for interference." He stepped closer to Jou, feeling Yami near his back all the time like a guardian, and held out a hand for the blond boy. "I just came around and saw you lying on the floor. Let me help you up."

"Forget it!" Jou slapped the offered hand away, not hearing Yami's hiss of anger and tried to scramble to his feet, but failed miserable. "I don't need any help, especially yours! Sod off!"

"I think you need help. Very much of that." Yugi held out his hand again. "All the bruises you sport cannot be the results of harmless fights. Come on, let me help you up already."

"Forget it, little shrimp," Jou growled, repeating his previous action and slapping Yugi's hand away.

---Yugi.--- The addressed teen saw Yami grit his teeth, barely able to hold himself back. ---He's hurting you.---

::No, you don't understand,:: Yugi thought, knowing Yami would hear it. ::-He- is hurt and he is too proud and too bitter to accept my help... or my friendship for the matter. Look into his eyes. He wants to but he can't. So I will try until he gets over himself and over his pride. He doesn't hurt me.::

---But...---

::You have to see the signs more clearly,:: Yugi explained for only Yami to hear. ::You just take in the outer appearance, but don't look behind the faces. It's the most important thing to do. It's like reading thoughts, only then you have to use your eyes and your other senses. What do you see in Jou's eyes?::

---I...--- Yami came even closer to him, until his body touched Yugi's back. ---I see nothing but... anger. And.... and...---

"Do you want to stand there all day watching me," Jou spat out, drawing his knees up to his body and hugging them in order to take a defensive stance. "Sod off, I said! Let me alone already!"

Then something unexpected happened. Suddenly Yami stepped in front of Yugi, reaching down and grabbing Jou's arm, yanking him to his feet not at all careful. Jou gave a short cry of pain and shock, stumbling as Yami released his grip.

---Tell him I think he's pathetic.--- He sneered unconvincingly, his eyes showing a sort of understanding. He backed off until he was behind Yugi again, hugging him as if seeking shelter.

"He wants you to know that he thinks you are... pathetic." Yugi said, shrugging. Alone he would have been afraid but somehow Yami made that all vanish with just being at his side.

"Pathetic?!" Jou tumbled dizzily, nearly falling back to the ground. "How would he know anything about me?"

---What did he say, Aibou?--- Yami hid his face in Yugi's hair, sighing contentedly, his arms sliding around Yugi's waist casually. Yugi blushed, but answered anyway.

::He asked how you would know he's pathetic.:: Being the mediator in this kind of situation made Yugi feel extremely uneasy.

---Then tell him I know that because it's obvious that he's weak. So weak in fact that I can't see him as a threat anymore. Pathetic.---

Yugi repeated Yami's words, leaving out the last bit though.

"Weak?" Jou's mask of self-consciousness faltered, making place for utter shock. He shut his eyes tightly. "I really am, aren't I?"

He choked out a quiet sob, then turned around and ran, his bruises causing him to limp a bit. The retreating sound of his heels on the ground could be heard for a while, then silence settled in, the two left teens staring down the street after Jou.

"You hurt him," Yugi said in a whisper.

---Your gentleness isn't helping him, is it?--- Yami let go of him and walked further on the sidewalk, already knowing the way to the Game Shop. ---In my opinion sometimes you have to be a bit rough. Sometimes it has to hurt.---

"Why should my help hurt him?" Yugi didn't follow Yami, so the pharaoh stopped after a few steps and turned around to him, his eyes a clear ruby red. "I want him to feel better, not to cause more pain."

---But sometimes pain is a way to sober the mind. It makes it easier to realise what has to be changed, what is missing.--- Yami smiled softly. Yugi could practically see how he let his guard down now that Jou was gone. ---The boy you want to help so desperately is drowning in his self-pity. He needs to notice and change that first before you are able to befriend him.---

"How do you know all that?" Yugi cocked his head to the side confusedly. "You seemed to judge Jou from outer appearance at the beginning and now you know how to make him feel better. Explain that to me."

---I just didn't try to see his pain until you told me to do so.--- Yami's smile didn't fade. --- I wanted to make sure you're safe. Nothing else mattered to me... but I am very able to see and I know very much about pain. How to inflict it and how to make it better. Though I'm not used to do the latter. I never really thought about doing so.---

"And now you do," Yugi asked, eyes wide in wonder.

---Maybe.--- Yami adverted his eyes, the smile still on his lips. ---Yeah, maybe.---

Yugi sighed, letting a small grin spread over his face . "It suits you better than carelessness."

---You think so?--- Yami's smile grew more playful and he shifted his gaze to the boy beside him. ---I do care about certain things. For example I care about having a bath or even better having a bath and you scrubbing my back. Or I would like to eat something. I'm starving.---

Blushing Yugi shook his head to get rid of the image of Yami in a bathtub and quickly stormed passed the other and in the direction of the Game Shop. He heard his look-alike laugh softly behind him, which made the red colour on his cheeks even darkening.

---Wait for me, Aibou.--- The mental voice was laced with amusement. Yugi figured he had read his thoughts again. This only served to make him feel even more embarrassed.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Grandpa, I'm home!" Yugi walked into the Game Shop, immediately spotting his grandfather at the counter. Yami behind him stiffened. He could almost feel his facial expression hardening. He briefly wondered why.

"Hey, Yugi." His Grandpa waved slightly, most of his attention on the paper in his hands though. Then he looked up in confusion. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"My teacher..." Yugi looked down to the floor. How could he lie to his grandfather? He hated lying. His grandfather always knew when he was lying.

---Tell him the truth then.--- Yami's voice was suddenly cold as ice. ---I don't care, he can't do anything to shield you from me. I will stay right by your side. He has no power over me.---

Shocked Yugi looked at the other boy. What was that supposed to mean? Power?

---Tell him.--- Yami visibly gritted his teeth. ---He can't do anything. He can't. He can't. He has no power over me.---

::You are afraid of him,:: Yugi thought, knowing that Yami would hear it.

---No, no!! I'm not!---

"Yugi, what about your teacher?" If his grandfather noticed the looks they had shared, he didn't tell it.

"My teacher died of a heart attack today, so we were sent home..." Yugi's voice shook slightly. "This is... Yami. He... he... well, he is new here and he can't speak our language. So I asked him to come over."

"Yami, you say?" Sugoroku blinked, then smiled. "Well, he shall come in. I'm happy to see that you finally made a friend. Where did he come from?"

"Erm..."

---Egypt.---

"Egypt." Surprised Yugi turned around and looked at Yami. Egypt?

They went inside and sat down at the counter. Well, Yugi did. Yami seemed to prefer standing, stance and expression on guard all the time. Sugoroku leaned over to Yugi slightly.

"He isn't that friendly a companion, is he," he whispered, looking up at the other boy warily.

"He's just not used to Japan." Yugi grinned, turning his head and noticing that Yami was looking at him intently. He blinked, his face flushing a bit. Coughing slightly to get his voice clear, he continued. "Everything is new for him. It's not easy. I think he will relax when he feels comfortable here."

"Alright," Sugoroku murmured, now turning to the other teen. "Welcome in Japan, Domino. I hope you get used to your new surrounding soon."

---I feel comfortable.--- Yami's voice showed a bit of irritation. ---I just don't like your grandfather to be here, because he... he can tell you what to do.---

::I don't understand,:: Yugi thought, listening to his grandfather only half-heartedly now, while the old man waved with the paper in his hand, telling him how their shop was getting more and more successful.

---He is your grandfather, so you have to obey him.--- Yami stepped behind his chair, a hand falling casually to his shoulder. ---And if he wants you to tell me to go...---

::...then I would have to obey,:: Yugi finished, slowly understanding Yami's way of thinking. ::You think I would chase you away without another glance, just because he tells me to.::

---Well, yes, I do.---

::You're right. Probably I would have done just that,:: Yugi thought hesitantly, feeling the hand on his shoulder tightening its grip almost painfully. He hurried to continue. ::But now I have several reasons not to. I promised you to give you a second chance. Beside that...::

---Beside that,--- Yami whispered, the other hand coming up to lie down on his other shoulder possessively. Yugi had the sudden feeling Yami was never going to let go again. It was frightening.

::Besides that... I'm kind of... curious.:: Yugi shook his head. ::I can't explain why. I want to know more about you and you're strange mind.::

---Curious?--- The hands relaxed, releasing the pressure from his shoulders. ---Strange mind?---

Yugi suppressed a small giggle, leaning backwards to look up at the boy behind him. Yami indeed had a strange mind. The way he tilted his head now like a puppy while learning a new trick, paying attention to each and every movement, was just plain weird. No other person he had seen in his life had a facial expression equal to Yami's. And the strangest fact of all was... he liked it. He liked those imploring looks, directed towards him all the time, searching for something unknown to him. Liked them...

Before he noticed that Yami was moving, he was pinned beneath him, Yami sitting down on his lap easily, his eyes fixed to his face as if they were drawn to it. Yugi let out a squeal of shock, feeling two steady arms sliding around his neck.

---You like,--- Yami asked adoringly, nuzzling his hair now and purring like a cat.

The clatter of books and a sound akin to a cough caught Yugi's attention and he blushed as his eyes fell onto his grandfather. He tried to pull away with no real success.

"Yugi?" The old man appeared to be in a state of shock.

"Yami suddenly fell and I could barely catch him before he hit the floor." Yugi lied for at least the third time this day. "I think he doesn't feel very well. The journey to Japan must have been exhausting. I will take him to my room to rest."

The relief on his grandfathers face was clearly visible. "Phew, I thought for a second here that he attacked you or something."

::Or something,:: Yugi repeated dryly, standing up and leading the grumbling Yami out the door. Luckily for him the boy played along or simply didn't care.

---Why do you want to keep this a secret,--- Yami asked slowly, not pulling back from him.

"What do you mean," Yugi whispered, having a good idea what Yami was trying to tell him.

---This.---

Suddenly something soft and wet touched his throat, tickling the sensitive skin there and confirming Yugi's idea. He gasped, gripping Yami's arms, fighting with himself. To Push away? Or not to push away? Do or don't?

The touch vanished, just to be followed by a sharp pair of teeth closing over the caressed spot lightly, being quickly followed by lips and tongue again. Yugi did nothing to stop Yami, but didn't encourage him either. He didn't want that, did he? His look-alike was a mere stranger and he was not the right person to do such things with... He had killed his teacher. It wasn't right. He wasn't ready for that yet... But why did it feel so good? He sighed, tilting his head back a bit without noticing it, creating more space, exposing more skin to explore.

---Tastes so good.--- Yami shifted closer to him, directing him backwards until his back was pressed against the wall. Then he looked up into his eyes seriously. ---Why do you want to keep this a secret?---

"I... I don't know..." The floor seemed to be very interesting all of the sudden. Yugi bit his lower lip uncertainly. "I think... I fear Grandpa's reaction. It's all new to me and I want to know what I feel first, before I go and tell him. I never... never kissed anyone before you. I don't know how to evaluate my feelings. I don't know what I feel."

---Never kissed anyone?--- Surprise flashed through Yami's eyes. Then it made place for a smug expression. Seemingly Yami enjoyed his new knowledge.

"What," Yugi asked after a moment of hesitation. The other boy simply moved further toward him, bringing their faces extremely close together. Yugi shifted against the wall at his back, not knowing what to do or say. They were so close...

---My mother used to say that the first kiss is the most important in one's life,--- Yami whispered into his mind, his eyes never leaving his look-alike's. ---The person who gives you the first kiss owns your heart and soul. You will remember this person forever and belong to them until you die.---

"Then I belong to you and you... you belong to someone else," Yugi said quietly. A pang of something unknown to him struck his heart, something painful.

---No, I -did-.--- Yami smiled warmly. ---If you dare to steal another one's first kiss, you lose your heart and soul to them. My mother told me that you can't take a first kiss without losing something in return. I'm in your hands, little Aibou. You have my heart. You have my soul.---

"In... my... but..." Shivers ran up Yugi's spine. Yami's body leaned onto his, giving him the feeling of a comforting weight covering him like a blanket. He figured he could get used to this. If it weren't for a few simple facts. One being that Yami was the person who killed his teacher without any regret. Another reason was that he... "But I'm absolutely inexperienced. I have no clue of what to do... How can I... make a kiss feel good to you?"

---I'm already as happy as I can be like this, Yugi.--- Yami's eyes shone like clear red pools, giving proof of his words. ---As long as you are willing to be with me. As long as you give me a chance to learn. As long as you try to trust me. I'm happy.---

"Y-Yami..." In a mixture of laughing and crying Yugi put his arms around the taller teen and hugged him tightly, making Yami almost lose balance. He caught himself before falling onto his back with Yugi on top of him (though the idea of falling sounded not at all bad with Yugi attached to it) and steadied himself.

---And now...--- Yami grinned devilishly down on Yugi. ---I want my bath. And you -will- scrub my back.---

Yugi blushed a bright red and shook his head with a small smile. "No, no, no. You are young and still very able to reach your own back. If Grandpa were the one to ask me I wouldn't complain, since he has problems with it. But you..."

---So you wash your grandfather's back and refuse to wash mine?--- Yami pouted while they went up the stairs. ---Ow, my back!--- Suddenly Yami cringed, making a pained face, but his eyes kept twinkling with joy.

"You can't fool me," Yugi said chuckling.

---Oh, come on,--- the taller one pleaded, snuggling up to his arm. ---Pretty please?---

"I said no." Patting Yami's head Yugi opened the door to his room with his free hand and walked in, Yami still hanging on his arm.

---Pretty, pretty please?--- Yami stepped in front of him and looked at him with dazzling puppy dog eyes. ---Where I come from I'm used to it... it would be something familiar.---

Yugi's resolve faltered. "Well, maybe. Under the condition that you behave and keep your hands on yourself."

---Sure, I will keep my hands -on myself-.--- Yami whirled around, letting himself fall onto the bed.

"Yami..." Yugi's cheeks warmed at the innuendo and because of the way Yami had spoken the words, making sure Yugi noticed the hidden meaning in them.

---Just a joke.--- Grinning Yami rolled onto his side and stared up at Yugi, his hair slightly out of its usual order, warmth radiating from his eyes.

Beautiful.

---Aibou?--- Confusion and a small appreciating glint replaced the relaxed expression.

Cute.

---Did you just call me... cute?!--- Yami blinked, confusion changing into disbelief. ---I'm not cute!!---

"I didn't... erm... darn... I did." Yugi looked to the ceiling innocently. "Well, you kind of are cute when you look confused... Would you please stop reading my thoughts? They are private!"

---But I like them.--- Yami sniffed, crossing his arms behind his head and stretching his legs.

"Then let me read yours as well." Yugi demanded, hands at his hips and a defiant look. "It's not fair to read one's thoughts and hide your own."

---You can't read my thoughts unless you wear the Millennium Puzzle,--- Yami explained. ---Besides that I would have to give you access to them, because your power isn't enough to surpass the mental barriers like me.---

"Then do that." Yugi went to his drawer and took out the Millennium Item, putting it around his neck.

---I... don't want to.---

"You don't want to?" Yugi almost growled. "What kind of logic is that? You are able to read mine, but hold your own back?! I want to know how you think, what you want, how you feel!"

---I still don't want to.---

"Why?" Yugi tried to hide his anger and disappointment but knew too well that Yami felt it. It wasn't fair. Yami felt it. And he didn't stop to read his thoughts, even though he had told him to do so all the time. "You tell me to trust you?! How can I trust you if you block me out like that? How can I trust you if YOU don't trust me?"

Yami sighed, then silence settled in. Only after a few minutes of deep thinking on both sides, did one of them speak up again.

"You don't trust me, right?" Yugi forced a nervous hand trough his hair. "I knew all along that you don't. Although you try to be near me, you hold back all the same."

Again silence. Yami didn't look in his direction once, just kept being quiet.

"Come, on. Say something," Yugi pleaded, now desperate. "Anything."

---You're right. I..." Yami turned his head, uncertain ruby eyes gazing over to him. "I'm not used to show other people my weaknesses, but... I should trust you. I really should, shouldn't I? It's just... I can't.---

"But you want to?"

---Yes.---

"Then show me," Yugi whispered.

---Not yet.--- Yami closed his eyes. ---Come here first.---

"Okay." Suspiciously Yugi walked up to the bed until he stood directly in front of it, waiting for Yami to continue.

---Sit down.--- His look-alike opened his eyes and looked at him almost grimly, patting the spot beside him.

Yugi wordlessly did what Yami wanted him to do. "And now?"

---Now give me your hands.--- The taller one sat up, taking the offered hands in his own and putting them onto both puzzles, one onto his own and the other onto Yugi's, holding them down there. ---You'll have to trust me as well as I will learn to trust you. It will hurt, because you're not used to the dark powers. I'll give you access to my mind, but it won't be easy. Are you sure you really want that?---

Yugi's suspicions faded and he smiled at Yami. "Yes, I'm sure."

---Good.--- Yami closed his eyes again, a frown of concentration crossing his features. Immediately Yugi felt a tingling sensation crawling all over his body. The tickling grew stronger and soon he squirmed uncomfortably. It didn't hurt, but it also didn't feel very good.

Slowly the tickling changed, as if suddenly needles surfaced and poked at his hands, wandering up his arms and over his shoulders. Automatically Yugi tried to pull his limbs back to break the painful contact, but Yami's grip on them was stronger.

---You have to relax,--- Yami told him, voice soft but serious. ---I have to create a link between our minds, so you have to let your mental defense down as much as you can. Don't fight it, let it to your mind. It won't hurt that much then.---

"I can't..." Yugi grit his teeth, trying to force the pain away from him. "It's like electricity, it hurts... so much..."

---Tell me if I should stop.---

"Don't," Yugi panted, leaning onto Yami for support who in return leaned onto him. "Don't stop."

The stitches of the invisible needles reached every single spot on his body and as much as he tried to calm down and open his mind to the intrusion, it didn't work. It was as if running into a blade and who wouldn't back away instead of running into it? But he had to... Yami needed him to do that sacrifice. He forced his body to relax and let the pain stream into his mind freely. Involuntary he suppressed the urge to scream out loud. It hurt so much.

---I'm almost through the barriers,--- Yami told him. ---Just a bit more. You're doing a good job.---

Yugi winced in response, biting down on his lips hard. Sweat trickled down the side of his face and his hands on the puzzles felt sticky. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to last, but like Yami had said, the pain had become more bearable than before, though it had been hard at first.

Then all of the sudden he could feel something inside him snap and the pain stopped. Completely.

---Are you okay, Aibou?--- Yami's concerned voice filtered through his foggy thoughts.

"I didn't know how good it feels to feel normal," Yugi panted, leaning onto Yami weakly. "Are you done?"

---Yes, I am.--- The other boy stroked his hair soothingly. ---But you will have to be careful for a while now. Your mental defense will be very weak. But don't be afraid, I will take care of you.---

"You will?" Yugi sighed.

---You should be able to read my mind now.--- Yami grinned back, but he looked a bit uncomfortable with such an open weakness.

"I'm too tired," Yugi murmured, letting himself sink completely against Yami, showing him that he still had the control he seemingly needed over his actions, especially now that he had given some of it away. "I think if you want a bath, you will have to scrub your back yourself now."

---Oh, no, I won't let that one slip.--- He pulled the other onto his lap and leant back on the bed. ---I can very well take a bath tomorrow. I need rest as well.---

"Just for an hour though." Yugi yawned tiredly. "I have to cook today. It's my turn."

---You cook?--- Yami chuckled out loudly, making Yugi jump in shock. He had heard his voice only once, before the death of his teacher. It sounded deep and had an alluring tone to it. He blushed as Yami clutched him more tightly. Did he read those thoughts?

"Yes, I can cook." They both closed their eyes, slowly drifting off. "I learned it from my mother."

---I'm exited to taste your food.---

"...Yeah."

To Be Continued...

Now, there you are. Another chapter ready. How do you like Yami's lighter side? He's warming up to Yugi and he shows him a bit of his honest humour. It's a nice change, I think. Though the problem isn't solved yet and I will come back to that next chapter. Yugi doesn't trust Yami completely, it was just a beginning. And I hope I made sure how important not only Yugi's trust in Yami is, but Yami's trust in Yugi as well.

Tara's Nonsense:

The Manga of Yu-Gi-Oh is completed in Japan, but someone else (that means in fact NOT Kazuki Takahashi) is going to continue it. The style of drawing will be the same, I think (I saw a bit of it, thanks to Sansi (hugs Sansi)), but will the characters and the atmosphere be the same as well? What do you think of the issue? Should there be a continuation like with Dragon Ball GT?

Tara's Nonsense - End

And now up to the

Review Responses(they get way too long):

Yana5: You think it was sweet? Well, thank you! (smile)

Laryna6: You're right about Yami's way of thinking. He tries to change himself for Yugi though, even if it can't work out smooth all the time (sings innocently) But now there's a base of trust between them (sort of) and they are quite close with the link. I liked that review, thanks. I will look at your fics surely. Yay!

Sansi: Dein längster Kommi? Wow! Danke! Was die Sache mit den Gefühlen angeht, dass jemand etwas fühlt, es aber dem richtigen Gefühl nicht zuordnen kann: Ja, so ähnlich meinte ich das. Yami fühlt den Schmerz, bemerkt ihn aber nicht einmal wirklich, sondern denkt, er fühlt ihn, weil er es nicht schafft, ihn zu fühlen. Es ist sehr verwirrend, aber so ist es. Er hat das Gefühl, Yugi zu enttäuschen und somit keine Chance zu haben, ihm näher zu kommen und sein Vertrauen zu gewinnen. Und ja, er ist sehr besorgt um Yugi (grins)

JSR: Yeah, I didn't want Yami to come back from his experience with the dead woman and the child and him having understood everything, being nice and civil either. In German I would say now it would have been a kind of 'Friede, Freude, Eierkuchen'-situation, which would mean a Happy End. Literally translated it would mean 'Peace, Joy, Pancake'... (it doesn't sound right in English... (coughcough)) Well, anyway, the story would have been over then and there's so much bound to happen. Thank you for the nice review.

Rikainiel: Well, there were lots of Yami/Yugi bits in this chappie (grins) Couldn't help it. First I just meant to build up the base of trust between the two a bit more – the rest came just along with it. Thehe. I love to write them too much (twinkling eyes) For the real lemon... I'm not sure if I will do that. We'll see. Thank you for the review. More Yami/Yugi bits are sure to come.

Sozoku: 'Passion' is a word I really like (thanks for using it) Though I myself never really use it. Just like the word 'devotion'. That's the English word I like most. I never use it, I don't know why. Well, so you could feel the passion between Yami and Yugi? Just great! Now I'm a very happy authoress. Thank you for the review.

Pharaoh Atemu's Angel: The scene where Yami went to see the dead teacher wasn't at the funeral. The family just came to see her, most people need that to understand that the loved one is really dead. Anyway, you liked that scene? (smiles happily) And I bet you liked that Yami/Yugi-stuff as well (grins) Yami really IS possessive. And I like him that way. Though I also like him as the normal teen... (cough) My Yami isn't normal... Thank you for the review

SoulDreamer: You say you like a killing, insane Yami and are crazy and don't care? Hm... I momentarily think of what -I- am, if you (as the reader) are crazy... I wrote all that stuff... Ow, I think I'm doomed. Nevertheless I will continue! Muahahahaha!! Thank you for the review.

SilverWing147: Thank you! You really, really liked it? Cool (chuckles) Erm, one question though. What is D and M? (looks curious)

Strega: You make a point when you say there has to be an eternal conflict. Yeah, I really thought about it. It won't be Marik though. And not Bakura as well. Too evil. Bad. Hehe, not the right thing for this story. One evil person (points at Yami) is enough for now. I thought about adding Yami's family or a rival. Both are tempting. Someone who wants Yugi? Someone who wants Yami? Don't know yet. But one thing is for sure... It will be complicated as hell. Yay, that's how we like it.

I think it's great that you mention Yugi's principles. He won't let Yami do anything with him, before he isn't absolutely sure about it (though he can't resist all the time, heh)

The thing with Anzu and Yami has another explanation. It isn't as if Yami just doesn't want to touch her, because she is Anzu (tough that'd be enough for a lot of people) Yami won't ever touch people (besides Yugi, but that's a different thing), because touch is a weakness for him. If you touch someone you show them an emotion, even if just briefly. You remember the scene with Jou in this chapter? Yami shying away after helping Jou up? Well, it's just like that. Through touch he shows that he cares. It's difficult to explain. He doesn't care about Jou much(or not at all), but he understands him. He's trying out the word 'compassion'... mostly for Yugi, but also for himself, because he wants to understand. Waah, I'm babbling. It was just nagging at the back of my mind all the time. Well, I love, love, love your reviews. Thank you very much. You help me a lot!

Osiris-Lee: Oh, the two of them were in public. But I couldn't write the reaction of the people around them, because they were absolutely fixed onto each other. I really wanted to and I tried at one point, but it just didn't fit in so I erased it. It will come up later on though. Yugi has to go to school after all (winks) Thank you or the review.

YumeTakato: Oooh, thanks!! (laughs happily and dances around) That's what I tried, to get some in-depth. It worked? Yeah!! Thank you, thank you!

Amber Eyes: You want to be my beta-reader? Really? That'd be great! Then I could send you the chapter before updating, you simply look over it and correct possible mistakes. I don't know what a beta does as well, I think that's it (smiles) If you are interested still, tell me in a review, then you'll get the next chapter first of all people. Waiii, I'm happy. Thank you for the review.

Hakiri-Nefertiri: Yeah, sometimes it's difficult to tell if someone cares or not. In Yami's case, I think doesn't care about some things because he never thought of the consequences. He has to learn evaluate his feelings. Sort of (grins). I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thank you for the review.

Cattypatra: I don't think that Yami is In-Character, but I am glad that you find him believable. I work on the characters very hard and think a lot of their reactions. I admire a lot of the other author's for their works and hope they write some more YxYY stuff. Figures, they died. T.T

Thank you for the suggestion of the fic. I will take a look at it, seems you liked it a lot. Then it has to be good (grins) Thank you for the review.

Throws chocolate cookies to all the readers. **THANK YOU!!**


	10. Chapter Nine

Through the Mirror – Chapter Nine 

Hello again. I'm back with the next chapter! It has been a hard task for me... (sighs exhaustedly) I have rewritten it almost completely (Sorry there, Amber Eyes, you beta-ed it and I changed almost everything. So sorry (gives chocolate-cookies to her)) Anyway, here's the chapter! Hyaa, that's for you (throws the chapter into the group of readers) Review Replies are at the end of the chapter (and way too long again).

Warning: It will be much more serious than the last one, but I told you that before, heh.

Disclaimer: Yami wants to have Yugi but he can't. I want to have Yu-Gi-Oh! but I can't. We feel similar pain. (whines) I don't own it. Kazuki Takahashi does.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Yugi?"

"Hm... no, not yet," Yugi murmured, snuggling deeper into the warmth around him. "Five more minutes won't make a difference..."

"Yugi, but it's already getting late and you promised to do the cooking today," his grandfather's voice cut into the fog of sleepiness surrounding him again. "It's your turn anyway, so get up already."

Yugi grumbled and opened his eyes to look at his grandfather, just to have the sleeping face of himself directly in front of him. He almost yelped in shock, then remembered the previous events and slumped back down. Of course it wasn't his own face. It was Yami's.

"You two sleep in one bed together," Sugoroku asked from beside the bed and only then Yugi noticed their close proximity. Yami had one arm around his waist, the other one somewhere around his neck and their legs were intertwined. They were touching each other almost everywhere! Then he noticed that his own arms were lying securely around Yami as well and he pulled them back immediately. Blushing madly he glanced up at his grandfather, searching for repulsion or at least some kind of suspicion. The old man's eyes looked down on him with a serious glint in them, nothing more, nothing less. Yugi wished he were able to read -his- thoughts for once.

"Well..." He detached himself from his look-alike, careful not to wake him up, for a short moment admiring the beautiful unmarred face, and walked passed his grandfather to leave the room. He didn't dare to look at him now, but he felt the intent stare nevertheless. "We slept in one bed because there is no other bed in this room and we both were too tired to arrange something else."

That was true – in a way. But to tell the truth meant to tell the whole thing. He had told just one little aspect and the truth couldn't be cut into aspects. So he had lied – in a way. He felt sick. How many times did he lie to his grandpa now? Much too often. He hated that.

"Okay, Yugi." He heard his grandfather following him into the kitchen, his voice laced with false cheerfulness. "So the both of you get along well, I assume? If I'm being honest, I think he's a bit grumpy. And you two look very much alike. What is that about?"

"Oh, coincidence." Yugi winced internally. He had done it again. Then again... It probably really was coincidence. After all Yami had had nothing to do with him before. "And you're right about him. He's not very social, I don't know why he likes me." Truth. It was all the truth! Relieved Yugi concentrated on searching for the ingredients he needed. The meat, onions, spice...

"Are the two of you..." His grandfather paused and Yugi spun around, his eyes widening. "...already '_friends'_?"

Yugi gulped. He knew the words had a deeper meaning and he hadn't expected such a blunt question. His grandfather wanted to know if they were... Flabbergasted he shook his head.

"No-no, not exactly." He put on a nervous grin, which slowly faded throughout his next words. "It's just... I don't know. I really, really don't know. I don't understand him. He's too difficult to understand."

Silence sank heavily on both of them. Yugi bit his lips uneasily, wanting to melt with the kitchen tiles beneath him. Then his grandfather spoke up again, first hesitantly, then growing more sure.

"It's not easy when you both speak different languages." Sugoroku nodded absentmindedly. "There are bound to be problems and misunderstandings."

The innuendo was clear, Yugi knew he didn't mean what he had said literally. What he meant was Yami's mind. Their different ways of thinking. The question was, why did he bring this up? And did he approve or accept that he interfered with a person like Yami? He knew their position hadn't looked quite decent. "But how can I learn his language?"

"It may be hard, but there's always a small beginning." Now the old man's smile was genuine and Yugi wondered how much he really knew. "But it's easier if Yami learns to speak your language as well. Maybe like this you'll find a language you both can speak. A language you both agree with."

"Grandpa..."

"Hey, don't forget the cooking," Sugoroku interrupted, leaving the kitchen, a mixture of a smile and a frown on his face. Yugi was left behind thoroughly confused. How much did his grandfather know about the matter? How could he know? With racing thoughts he continued the cooking where he had left off. Onion, spice, oil...

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yugi sat down on the couch in the living room heavily. The meat was in the pot and had to stay like that for a while in order to get the right taste to the sauce. So he had to do nothing but sit and wait. He sighed, thinking his grandfather's words over again. So he thought, if they worked hard enough to understand each other, there would be some progress? They both had to do some steps toward the other, but what if they finally met in the centre of it? Was this the base of understanding he wanted? Wouldn't walking towards Yami mean to change into part of him?

"Do I have to be more like Yami to understand him?" No. Yugi frowned. That certainly wasn't what his grandfather had meant. Why didn't he get it then? If he put in 'way of thinking' instead of 'language'... it said he had to learn Yami's way of thinking and Yami had to learn his way of thinking. Did 'learn' mean 'change' or did it mean something else?

He didn't know. He needed his diary – dearly. He stood up and snatched his schoolbag from the doorway where he had left it after coming back from school and took the little book out of it. Usually it helped him to see things more clearly. That way he could concentrate on what he really felt and analyse the situation. He sat down again, a pencil in his right hand, the book lying in his lap. Where to begin?

'Today I have been through more than ever before in my life. It is probably the longest and the hardest day – but also the oddest day ever. Not a good day, though I have to admit it is quite interesting and... intriguing. Today the boy from the mirror came back to me. I know I wished to meet him again before, but I'm not so sure anymore, if it wasn't the worst thing that could have happened to me. He's dangerous and remorseless. And it looks like he would do anything to get what he wants. Anything. Even kill. I think he always got what he wanted before. Now... seemingly he wants me. I tried to run away from him but he didn't allow that. If I had known from the beginning just what kind of person he is... I could have prevented a lot. Even the murder. Yes, it was him who did this. He killed Izumi-sensei.

At first when he had come back out of the mirror I was very happy. He had been so kind and gentle. Well, I think I shouldn't have trusted him because of that. The murder came so suddenly, I wasn't able to do anything. I didn't expect it. He changed from one moment to the next into a completely different person. He is so scary, yet the gentle side he showed to me hadn't been a farce. And that's what confuses me so much.

Yami, you are so... complicated. I want to understand you so badly...'

Hasty approaching footsteps interrupted Yugi's thoughts and he quickly shut the book. His grandfather knew he had the diary, but that didn't mean he wanted him to read it. He put it back into the schoolbag and turned around to greet his grandpa, when he suddenly was crushed in a fierce embrace.

---Aibou,--- Yami's sorrowful voice flooded his mind. ---My aibou, my aibou. Thought you ran away. Woke up alone, very alone. Never do that again, never, you hear me, never, Aibou...---

Yugi, who was now firmly pressed against Yami's rigid body, blinked in shock and confusion.

::I just stood up to do the cooking,:: he told Yami through his thoughts. ::I didn't want to wake you up because of that.::

---Was so scared. Never do that again.--- Obviously Yami didn't listen. ---You can't leave my side, can't, don't allow this. Mine, you're mine.---

Yugi carefully patted Yami's back, trying to calm him down. Though he didn't agree with him. He didn't belong to him and if he wanted to get up, he...

---No, MINE.--- The arms around him tightened their grip. Yugi figured it wasn't the right moment to start the conversation they had had all over again.

---There is no conversation required,--- Yami told him stubbornly. ---You belong to me. I saw you, I watched you and I chose you and now you are mine. You have no right to fight that. How can there be a law in your world that allows every single person to have the same rights as their next? I don't want that!---

::Stop that.:: Yugi didn't want to discuss that again. Hadn't he made clear enough that he didn't accept Yami's laws?

---So you don't accept them because they have no value here?--- Yugi could hear the dangerous edge in Yami's voice. He knew that tone of voice. He had sounded like that the moment before his teacher had... ---Then you will accept them at a place where they have value? Where they are operative?---

Yugi slowly started to panic.

---You will accept them when I take you home with me?---

Yugi wanted to look Yami in the eye, but the boy didn't let go of him, even after he tried to pull away. Why was he acting so strange all of the sudden? Fearfully he tugged at his clothes, trying to signal his need for distance.

---So when I take you with me, you will belong to me without any limitations.---

"You would own my body, but surely not my soul," Yugi whispered, determined to get away. "And how can there be a law in your world that allows you to have more rights than all the other people? How can there be a right to own another human being?!" He didn't want to talk about that now, but Yami made it impossible to avoid. He had wanted to think it over first, before discussing it with him, but he didn't leave him any time.

Suddenly he was thrown onto his back, Yami instantly over him, pushing him down forcefully into the cushions, looking at him with raging despair in his ruby eyes. They had a dark shade in their depths now, like red wine and the panic he felt rose.

---Some people are not worth having rights.--- A sneer made its way to Yami's face, but it was clear that he had difficulties to hold it there. His body shook uncontrollable. ---They are the lowest scum of the earth and would just destroy the system. When I own them I can make them do more useful things. They have to be shown the right direction.---

"So you want to tell me that I am not worth having rights, huh?" Yugi saw the ruby eyes slitting dangerously, the desperation, which reached him through their created mind-link, though he couldn't quite grasp more of Yami's thoughts, growing. "I am worth nothing and belong to the lowest scum of the earth. That's why you can own me. Did I get it right, or is there anything I..."

---Shut up!!--- Yugi could feel how the thoughts shot through Yami's head rapidly, his expression showing anger resulting from his deep helplessness. But he himself was angry now and didn't care whether the other was in advance or not. Yami's vanity was just so... disgusting.

"Maybe Jounouchi, too, is not worth anything else than being a filthy little slave in your eyes. Or Anzu. Or my grandfather. Maybe my teacher wasn't even worth -that-. She wasn't even worth living, was she?"

---Shut up, I said!!--- Yami's hands fisted and pressed down onto his chest hard. He winced in pain, but kept his eyes on the ruby one's. Suddenly though the pressure was taken away and Yami slumped down onto him, the anger fading from his features, leaving only pain. ---Stop saying such things... It's not true. You are worth everything for me. Everything! That's something I have never experienced before and I am scared. So scared. All the time I fear that you might turn away and leave me. I have never been so... so... dependent. I don't want to be dependent on your decision. That's why you have to be mine, because then I have the control of all this. I don't know any other way to make sure you stay. I can't take to see you leave. There would be nothing I could do about it. I feel utterly... helpless.---

"Y-Yami," Yugi breathed.

---After I woke up in your bed all alone I realised that I had to make sure I have the control. No matter what. I need it. And I will have it. That's why I'll take you home to Egypt with me. Even if I can only have your body then... I'll have the time to fight for your soul as well.---

"You can't do that." Yugi's face paled. Yami really was serious. It wasn't just an act resulting from panic, no, he was determined to realise all of it. "You want to make me your -slave-?!"

---Being a slave of the pharaoh is not that bad a fate,--- Yami sat up on his stomach, one hand coming up to stroke his look-alike's cheek lovingly.

"Pharaoh," Yugi choked. "YOU are the pharaoh?!"

---Of course I am.--- The boy on his lap smiled. ---The highest person existing.---

"That can't be happening," Yugi whispered in disbelief, then narrowed his eyes. "I won't go with you. Pharaoh or whatever. I won't."

---You will.--- Yami climbed off of him and hoisted him up to his feet. ---And we'll go right now!---

"No. Let me go!" Yugi cried, but not loud enough for his grandfather to hear. Yami was too dangerous. "I won't go with you!"

---You will.--- His look-alike grasped his elbow and pulled him through the living room.

"No!!" Yugi tried to struggle or kick but it didn't seem to affect Yami. Panic made his vision blur. The other wanted to take him away from his home and family forever? He couldn't let that happen... He and being a slave? Yami's slave? No, no!

The taller boy directed him toward the bedroom and Yugi remembered the mirrors. Yami had come through the mirrors and now he was going to... no, he couldn't let that happen!

"Let go of my arm," he cried, trashing wildly in the other's grip, eyes wide and unfocused. "You can't just force me to leave everything behind! I don't -want- this!"

---Everything is going to be alright.--- Uncertainty flickered in Yami's eyes, but the hold he had on Yugi's wrist and his pace never wavered. ---You will see, it's going to be...---

"No, Yami, please!" Yugi dug his heels into the thick carpet and grabbed the hand that held his arm with his free one, looking him directly in the eyes, gaze pleading and full of fear. "Please, listen. I won't turn away from you without any reason. Why would I? But how am I supposed to learn to understand and trust you when you do such a horrible thing to me. I'll lose everything!"

Yami returned his look silently for a moment, then closed his eyes. ---I'm sorry. But I can't just... let every guard down like that. I need to feel save. I need you to be securely at my side. As long as you have the right to leave me, there is the possibility that you do. After I eliminated that possibility I can be sure when I look away from you for a moment, that you will still be there when I look back at you.---

"It's not that easy." Yugi frowned at their intertwined hands, thinking about how to tell Yami what he meant. Then he looked back up, not showing his usual gentleness this time. Yami's eyes had never left his face all the while, a serious glint of determination and sorrow darkening them. "You know, first I thought of you as something as a guardian. I always wondered why your attention is so fixed on me... but the reason wasn't that of a guardian who had vowed to protect someone. It's something else... something darker. It's fear. Anxiety. Distrust. That's why you won't let me out of your sight. You really see me as some kind of poverty, don't you? You want to take away my own will, make me completely obedient, your little puppet. You want to control me." Yugi almost snarled, the feeling of unfamiliar anger dwelling up in his stomach. "But I don't want to be controlled. I let you have some control over me all the time, because I wanted to make it easier for you to feel comfortable. I did some stupid things I never would have done under normal circumstances. You were rough with a lot of people I care a lot about, you were rough with me, but I didn't do anything about it... just because I was so determined to understand your motives and just because I knew you lived in another dimension and had other ways of thinking. But I never wanted to be the one involved. I was okay with everything, as long as it didn't go out of hand. What a horrible mistake, it seems. I'm not your puppet and I won't ever be!"

Yami growled, but stayed silent, watching him with fierce eyes, full of confusion and hurt, his fingernails digging into Yugi's flesh. The smaller one of the two didn't even flinch, nor did he struggle anymore. He just kept on looking at Yami.

"Go on," he dared. "Take me home with you and make me your filthy little slave. You'll see the outcome. I won't ever be controlled like that! You can hold me down, lock me up, put the highest walls around me. But if you do, you won't ever reach me through them, because with me you'll lock up my heart and soul forever. You will never be able to break the walls you build."

Silence again. Yami's whole body began to shake, the internal fight visible on his face. Yugi's gaze softened a bit, but he wasn't willing to take back his words, because they were true in his opinion. Yami's way to handle this wasn't right. Maybe he had sounded harsh, but he was angry. How could a person be so... weird? Trying to make him his slave was definitely something that crossed the line of the acceptance he could muster. He was going to abduct him!

---I'll risk it,--- Yami suddenly said, turning around and yanking Yugi after himself. The boy yelped in shock and pain. How could he...?! Yugi had been sure that he had managed to convince Yami of how wrong this was.

"Stop," he whined, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "Don't..."

Yami stopped in his tracks, whirling around to him and growling at him with furrowed brows. ---You don't know anything at all!--- He proceeded into Yugi's room, only halting as they stood directly in front of the mirror. ---You don't understand. I told you before, I don't want you to be a puppet! I seek assurance, not the kind of control you mean. Safety! I need -you- and not a soulless body... you are everything I think about. I AM your guardian and I would give my life to protect you. What you said was wrong. It's not only the fear to lose you that causes me to watch you all the time. I'm drawn to you like a moth is drawn to a flame, but... but I'm drawn home as well. I have to go home, with or without you. I need Egypt and Egypt needs me. But who am I to let go of you now?---

Yugi blinked, contemplating the new aspect. He had never thought about that before. Of course Yami wanted to be at home, where his family and everything familiar waited. Where his responsibility lay. He was the pharaoh after all. How could he have forgotten that? But even though it all made more sense now, that didn't change anything.

---I can't leave you here.--- Yami sighed deeply, the enraged expression vanishing, making place for his true feelings. Yugi understood now how torn Yami was between him and his home and that this was the real reason for his unfair behaviour. Or at least partly. ---I'll risk your hate, if that is the condition of being able to still have you near me. Even if I have to take you with me by force.---

"But..." Yugi squirmed uncomfortably. "I'm sure there is another way. You can as well visit me here all the time... You know I can't come with you. You should know better than anyone, because like you I have responsibilities here. I have people here who need me."

---That's the point.--- Yami's hold on his wrist grew more gentle, as he lifted his hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it softly. ---Nobody other than me should be able to hold claim on you. I need you too much to share you with someone else. Just visiting you is not enough to still the craving flame inside of me. I would always think about what you are doing or if you are safe... It doesn't work. I can't leave you here to all the other people who need you.---

Through their mind-link Yugi could feel how serious Yami was about the matter. He was going to take him to Egypt regardless of the consequences. And Yugi knew he could never forgive him. He was not willing to grant him a third chance.

"Why?"

---What?---

The smaller teen looked to the floor, wetting his lips with the tip of his tongue nervously. "Why is there this passion within you? Why do you act like this? Why do you need me so much? Why all this?"

A pained chuckle made him look up at Yami, who let go of his hand, reaching his own hands up to his chest, clutching at his heart. "The passion..." A deep sigh. "...it grew on its own somehow to a searing fire, which slowly tears me apart now from the inside. Our first encounter made me curious, so I decided to stay and watch you for a while. I don't know why, but suddenly watching wasn't enough anymore. I needed to talk to you, I wanted you to look at me directly, wanted you to recognise me. I needed to touch you. So I did.---

"Yeah, you appeared in the mirror..."

---No.--- Yami smiled sadly. ---I came to visit you before, in the evening, but I waited outside at the door for too long and when I entered your room you were asleep. I stayed at your side throughout the night and left early in the morning, because my courage had left me. I was sure I would scare you away. So I waited at home until I found I was brave enough to really meet you. That's when I appeared in the mirror before you...---

"Yami, you...?"

"Ah, there the two of you are," said Sugoroku from the doorway, interrupting the two boys. "Yugi, the food is starting to burn, you should put more water to it."

Yami looked like a deer caught in headlights, his eyes widening, the sad calmness changing into shock and fury.

"What are you two doing anyway," Yugi's grandfather asked, after seeing his grandson's relief and his guests indignation. "Yugi, I hope... he doesn't try to harm you, does he?"

Yugi fought with himself if it was wise to risk telling his grandfather what was going on, but eventually he came to the conclusion, that this was the only chance to flee.

---No! Don't! You can't! Tell him to go away!--- Fear reached his thoughts along with the words. ---Tell him already!---

::No.:: Yugi immediately sensed more fear and anger and quickly changed his plans. It was too dangerous to tell his grandpa everything about Yami. He wasn't going to risk getting him killed. But he knew that as long as he stayed at his grandfather's side, he was safe. Yami couldn't do anything then. "Everything is alright, grandpa. May I help you in the game shop? I go put water to the meal, then I have more than enough time until I have to attend to the cooking again."

"If you want to." Sugoroku laughed cheerfully as ever, but simultaneously cast Yami worried looks. "You could sort the booster packs. The children always make a big disarray and the Simpson-Boosters are mixed with the Pokémon-Boosters and with the Duel Monster-Boosters et cetera... It's really annoying at times."

They left Yugi's bedroom, walking downstairs to the shop, Sugoroku babbling all the while what more could be done in the game shop. Yugi listened half-heartedly, watching Yami out of the corner of his eyes, who followed them grimly, keeping a safe distance to the old man though.

---I will wait, Yugi.--- Yami kept his burning gaze on his look-alike. ---I will wait until the opportunity shows itself to me. You can't hide behind him forever. Egypt is waiting for the both of us.---

Yugi felt shivers go up and down his spine and he clutched the sleeves of his school-uniform desperately. He knew what the other teen said was right. He couldn't hide forever. Yami was going to corner him eventually. But there had to be something he could do! He again turned and looked at Yami, whose eyes and thoughts told him exactly the same – liquid fire burning in them.

---I will wait...---

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**To Be Continued...**

Go or stay? What do you say? Hey, that was a rhyme... Whatever. I have already made my decision, but what do you want? (grins) Do you want Yugi to be taken to Egypt? It would certainly be interesting, but what about their trust? Well, I would very much love to hear your opinions!

And please don't judge Yami now because he has been mean to Yugi. He is just frightened and homesick. It's not easy for him to change. The path he has to go is hard and stony!

**Review Responses: **

**Pharaoh Atemu's Angel: **You liked the bath-thing? I'm thinking about letting it come up later – under the condition that the opportunity shows up :D His personality slip is a result of him starting to trust Yugi, though he doesn't trust him enough to let him out of sight. (grins)

**Yana5:** In this chapter they aren't that cute anymore (sighs) Yami's fault.

**Misseystar: **Yeah, it really helps to write a story from one point of view all the time. It's very much easier. I can focus on telling the reader how Yugi feels and how he experiences Yami's actions (big smile) I like to imagine Yami's feelings and sometimes it's sad to not be able to explain them other than his own words and facial expressions/gestures. But it wouldn't fit into the story.

Right, short chapters really rush. While reading a story I like, I hate to look down on the pages left and see there are only two or three of them. I will search for your stories. When I like the summaries and pairings I will surely take a peek in. Thanks for your long reviews. I really like them. (huggles Missey)

**Sansi: **Well, THAT is your longest review (laughs) Über die Fortsetzung von YGO haben wir ja schon gesprochen, es hat ja niemand darauf reagiert. Ich persönlich fürchte mich davor, dass in der Fortsetzung alles anders ist als vorher. Ich meine, wie wollen die das auch machen? Yami ist zurück in die Unterwelt gegangen, weil es sein Wunsch war, wieso sollte er nun zurückkommen? Außerdem kann sicherlich niemand die Atmosphäre von vorher einfach nachmachen! Hast du eigentlich schon einmal die Original Folgen gesehen? Yami und Yugi stehen sich da so nah (cries) Das ist soo traurig und einfach nur... romantisch (für Leute wie mich, die wieder etwas sehen, wo nichts ist...) Es ist zu offensichtlich, als dass das alles nur unabsichtlich gewesen sein kann. Jupp, gut... Danke für das Lob (grins) und ich bin immer noch erstaunt, dass du dir die ganzen Review Replies durchgelesen hast. Nya, bis denne, wir sehen uns sicherlich soon.

**Hakiri-Nefertiri: **Thank you, thank you (hugs the both of you) You liked the linking-scene? Yami is not always easy to write like that. There's a small line between his friendly side and his slightly insane and paranoid side (he thinks Yugi might run away the moment he closes his eyes) Thanks for the review.

**SoulDreamer: **No, no, no... I AM doomed. (looks around for her sanity) You think the softer side of Yami is cliched? Huh... Well... oookay. Maybe it is (weeps) But that isn't exactly bad, is it? Well, at least you can't say the side of Yami I showed in THIS chapter is cliched!

**SilverWing147: **Aaaah! (understands now) Deep and Meaningful? D and M? Didn't know that one yet. Thank you for the explanation, I love to learn new short terms! And I love things like an innuendo as well. I like to use them. Besides, how do I pronounce 'innuendo'? Thank you for reviewing!

**YumeTakato: **Here you are, I updated (grins) You liked Yami's character? Thanks, I really tried hard to make him more friendly without making him too OOC. Did it work? Well, I hope you like this side of Yami as well, because he isn't anything near friendly anymore. I had to do it (sobs) Anyway, thank you for the review!!

**Amber Eyes: **I'm so sorry!! I had to change the chapter! I really didn't like it the way it was. It headed completely the wrong way and I realised I would have to drop some real important scenes! I hope you aren't angry with me now! I'll send you the chapter before updating!

**Strega: **Yay, there you are again! Did you know that I like your reviews the most? I'm always happy to receive them! Well, to your review (I have to take it apart this time (grins))

1) You are completely right, concerning Yami's pharaoh-mentality. It would be inappropriate to help someone up, who is that much lower than himself (namely Jou) and show him concern through that. You mentioned that there could be a base of understanding between Jou and Yami, because Yami himself felt that kind of loneliness Jou experiences. I never thought about that side of it, but I think you made a point. It makes sense. I have to think that through, maybe I can use that again for another scene. I'm not completely sure what to make of Jou anyway. He's a complicated topic in the story. I don't want him to just say 'Thanks, pal, you helped me up and now we're friends.'. That would be too boring. Jou is nearly as distrusting as Yami (laughs)

2) Grandpa. (sighs) Another great difficulty. It's because of him that I had to change the whole chapter. Again you got it right. Yami has to mind his manners around him. But not only that. It's even going deeper than that. He's not only careful to mind his manners around him, he's also very afraid of him. Sugoroku embodies Yugi's family, so if Yami does the wrong thing around Yugi, his grandpa tries to protect Yugi from him. Consequence: He would have to hurt grandpa (or blast him to ashes as you said (grins)) to get Yugi back and with that hurt him deeply. Yugi would hate him for that (like you also said), Besides that, 'family' has deep meaning to Yami. He wouldn't want to hurt a grandfather who protects his grandson. It goes against his principles. And yes, even he has principles. (smiles)

3) The mind-link is something that will take a lot of time again. Even though Yami build that link, he holds it close most of the time in this chapter, not allowing Yugi to read his thoughts directly. His distrust has grown because Yugi has left his side while he slept. Yugi doesn't intrude, he just feels what Yami feels sometimes, when the emotions are very strong. Even if he knew how to do it, he wouldn't. He for once respects the need for privacy (other than Yami, who needs to read Yugi's thoughts in order to understand what he says. It's a bit of irony, that Yugi demands of him to stop doing that then, isn't it?)

Well, you worry about taking up a whole side? (looks at the reply) Well, I like to write the replies, because then I'm able to see the chapter from your view and can think it all over. Hope you liked this chapter. (hugs Strega) Thank you for the great, long review! I love how much thought you put in them!

**Angel's Charm:** Thank you, yeah, it has been a great step for Yami to give part of his control away. He seems to be a real control-freak! Oh, ne, I made him a control-freak!! You said it's strange to see Yami weak like that. Hm, it is. But weakness comes with trust – though I don't think that there's much trust left after Yami woke up alone. It's a really sensitive trust. Glad you liked last chapter and I hope you liked this one as well! Thank you for reviewing!

**Flowacat: **(gives kleenex to flowacat) Oi, the story isn't that fluffy, is it? Thank you for the praise, I am really touched. (sniffles herself) Well, I'm happy to hear you liked it so much! Of course I will write more! Here for example. That was the next chapter! Happy? (grins) Thank you very much for the review! I will keep it in mind.

**JSR: **I don't really know many stories where Yami distrusts Yugi, but the one's I read were on the most part very good and inspiring (which is why I chose to make Yami more distrusting in this one. It fits him here) 'Child of Darkness'? What is that? No, just a joke! I didn't work on that one for a long time, but you can expect an update soon, because I read it two days ago and I think I could do it. Though the Yami in that one is kinda... crazy! Okay, in this one he's crazy as well... never mind. Thank you for the review! And I won't forget 'Child of Darkness'

**Elvlen-princess9744: **(looks at Gimli's axe with wide eyes) Er... I'm typing!! I really am!! Take the thing away from me!! (leans on Yami's shoulder) or ELSE! Hehe... Anyway, here is the update! Glad you liked the last chapter! Thank you for the review... don't put the axe near Yami, he might get wrong ideas... Yami? Too late. My last advice: RUN (grins and dashes off)

**Reki: **Why, thank you! So many people tell me that and I can't quite believe it (smiles widely) I'll save you from too much fluff this chapter though! So you don't have to choke on it (pats Reki's back): Thank you for reviewing!

**Rikainiel: **Yeah, it's really hard to write lemon! But for now there'll be just a few Y/YY bits (though not that much in his chapter sadly. Blame Yami), so I don't have to worry about lemon. And you were shocked about the non-trusting? Well, think about it. You go into another dimension and meet someone who completely intrigues you, though that never happened before. Imagine simultaneously you were Yami. You get it? Distrust! And right, trust is very important! Yay, thank you for the review!!

**Geminidragon: **Now I ask YOU if you WANT Yugi to go to Yami's dimension (grins widely) I pass the question back to you! Well, about Bakura and Malik... they will have their roles in my story. And I think they will come up soon. I won't tell in which dimension they live though. Wait and see! Thank you for the review. You asked questions nobody asked before!

**Chibi-ichii:** 20 Chapters instead of 9? I hope I'll manage 20 chapters one day! This story is going to be long it seems (though it wasn't planned like that). And you really like it THAT much? I'm amazed. I feel like a beginner every time I sit in front of my computer and want to write something English. Heh, I'm glad you like it. Thank you for the review and for putting me to your favs! I'm happy!!


	11. Chapter Ten

Through the Mirror – Chapter Ten

Hey, there. Here's the next chapter. I wrote it with a few difficulties, but I hope you like it as it is. Review Replies are – as always – at the end of the chapter. Big Thank Yous and a big box of cookies to my beta AmberEyes!!

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is not mine. Be glad it isn't, because I can't draw very well. Nobody would want to watch it (I'm included)... Ahm, and the thing with the 'Simpson'-Boosters and 'Pokemon'-Boosters from the last chapter... they don't belong to me either.

Have fun reading!!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yugi had started to pile up the Booster Packs, sorting them into different paper boxes. He tried to appear calm, but his hands shook slightly, of course due to Yami, who leant at the counter beside him, sending him intent glances and every so often looking over to Sugoroku, obviously waiting for him to leave the room. Other than that he had stayed silent, his arms crossed over his chest defiantly. He was waiting for his moment to come.

::Someone help me,:: Yugi thought frantically, continuing to search for a way to escape. He could just run out the door and flee, but Yami was sure to catch him with ease. And then they would be alone again and his grandfather was his only security, the only thing to hold his look-alike back. So he had to stay by his side.

Another few minutes dragged on slowly, so slowly indeed, that he was sure to hear every second on the big clock at the wall tick by with a deafeningly loudness. It was torture to him. Time seemed to have lost validity somehow.

Suddenly a ringing sound echoed from the flat into the game shop, first breaking the tension, throwing the whole world back into action, then freezing everything to a halt again. The telephone. Yugi's hands stilled, unable to move, his face paling to an ashen colour. He couldn't remember a time he was so shocked to hear the device. He turned around slowly, seeing Yami's confused look in the direction of the sound and his grandpa making his way over to the door. He panicked.

::Don't go, grandpa, please, don't go!:: He quickly dashed past Yami to follow the old man, but was held back by a strong hand, wrapping around his arm, pulling him backwards against a warm body. He glanced up and saw Yami grinning at the door, which slowly fell shut, leaving only the both of them alone in the shop.

"Let me go this instant or else I'll scream," Yugi threatened, but knew it was a weak attempt. He was much too frightened to sound strong. As if to confirm this line of thought Yami's free arm came up, sliding around his waist and holding him close.

---I don't know what it was that called your grandfather out, but it certainly helped me.--- The taller boy smiled in triumph. ---I stayed much too long in your dimension, it's time to go back, little one. They will be waiting already.---

"You... You..." Yugi swallowed the lump in his throat, a sinking feeling in his chest. He felt lost... defeated. Tired. "You can't expect me to ever respect you again after this, Yami. I won't ever forgive you."

Yami's smile vanished, fear invading his features. ---Stop saying that. You can't change my mind.---

"I know." Yugi looked down to the floor sadly. It was probably the last time he saw the game shop or is home. Yami was just going to drag him out the door to a mirror and by doing that destroy his life. Then suddenly it hit him. His eyes widened, understanding working its way into his mind. He was safe here. The plan wasn't going to work! Yami beside him stiffened. Obviously he had read that thought. Yugi wanted to cry with relief, barely able to hold back the tears. His grandfather had gone to answer the telephone and that meant he stood directly behind the door, where the device was. There was no mirror in the game shop. He was safe!

---Can't be.--- Yami's eyes drifted to the right, then to the left, searching and finding nothing. He visibly gritted his teeth in anger. ---Be sure, I will find a mirror. We'll just go out, there has to be someone owning one!---

Yugi's mouth went dry. Yami was determined enough to go as far as break into another person's house? The prospect of other people getting hurt in the process, made his stomach churn. He started to struggle, immediately feeling that his efforts were in vain. He didn't have the physical strength to beat Yami.

---Aibou,--- Yami growled, pressing their bodies together in order to hinder Yugi so that he couldn't get any kicks or punches in. ---Don't do that.---

"You can't order me around, I'm not your slave." Not yet anyway. He sucked in air deeply, determined to scream out as loud as he could, just as he had told Yami he would do, but suddenly a hand was clamped tightly over his mouth, muffling his voice.

---You're not going to alarm the old man.---

::I will!:: Yugi bit down on the hand hard, making Yami flinch away promptly, wincing in pain. Again he filled his lungs with as much air as possible, driven by the urge to rescue himself. Nothing would be able to hold him back now. Nothing but...

---Please don't.--- Yami's unsteady voice captured his attention and he looked over to him distractedly, holding his breath. ---Please don't do that.---

::Why shouldn't I?:: Yugi narrowed his eyes angrily, but let the air leave his lungs slowly. He watched the other boy carefully. ::You want to abduct me, destroy my whole life! What do you expect me to do?!:: He was furious by now, fisting his hands at his sides.

---You...--- Yami cast his eyes down, a gesture which astounded Yugi, because he had never done such a thing before. ---You said you need me. Every fibre of your being screams at me how much you do. But somehow... somehow a great part of your mind doesn't want to submit to that feeling. How could it be that you want to be separated from me?---

"I never said that..." The anger Yugi felt softened to light irritation. "I just don't want to lose my home."

---Then I'll give you a new home!--- The edge of desperation surfaced in Yami's eyes again.

"But I don't know you at all," Yugi said quietly. "How can I trust you enough to put my life into your hands. You told me you don't want to be dependent on my decision. Do you know what you do to me by making me your slave? You make me dependent on you not only emotionally, but in every way possible. I won't have any rights at all. I'll lose not only my home, family, everything familiar, no, I'll lose my independence. Is that what you want? You want to make me depend on you?"

---That's not the reason.--- Obviously Yami was getting angry again. ---Don't you understand it?!---

"No, I don't!"

Yami gritted his teeth. ---I have to go home! I am the pharaoh! I have to rule Egypt and I have been absent for too long already! I just don't want to lose you! The problem is... the door to your dimension will be sealed next time I get back. It's too dangerous to let it stay open. What am I supposed to do now?! Say goodbye?! No... no, I don't want that! And I won't have that! I'm the pharaoh! My word is order! And nobody, you hear me, nobody can just go against that! Nobody! Not even you!---

Silence.

Yami was panting with rage, a dark growl warning everyone that he wasn't to be pushed now and better not to be contradicted. Yugi forced his thoughts away from this subject. He knew thinking about it would make the pharaoh snap, because his thoughts would certainly disagree. He looked down to the floor, not knowing what to say or think. So it was either lose home or lose Yami. He didn't want to lose Yami, despite everything he had come to like the ruby fire in his eyes somehow. There was a pull between them, something he could almost physically grab. There was a need to be with Yami, however shadowed his personality was. On the other side he couldn't give in to this feelings. It was wrong. Being with Yami required too great a sacrifice. He would have to give up everything for an uncertain future with a person he didn't know and didn't trust in a land he didn't know, surrounded by foreigners. That was too much. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, keeping his voice as even as possible, trying to make his contradiction sound soothing. "Even if your word always is order where you come from, I can't allow you to take me with you. You are not a ruler here, you can't demand of me to bow down before you. I simply won't!"

---Isn't that what you fear?!--- Yami made a furious step forward, closing the gap between them, making Yugi gasp in shock and reluctant pleasure as their bodies met. He kept his arms at his own sides though, merely searching for warm contact. ---You fear to lose your rights, your status as an independent human being? Look at me. The pharaoh, highest person walking this earth, degraded to this, a citizen, a boy like all the other boys around. I can't do anything about it while I'm here, unless I hurt someone to show them I'm superior! And that I can't do. I know how it feels to lose independence!---

"Then you should know that it isn't fair to do that to me," Yugi said, not able to resist leaning into the warmth slightly. As long as he wasn't forced, he found that it felt good to be near the other. "I mean, you have at least the choice to decide what you want. And you don't want to give this choice to me as well! Why am I not allowed to decide if I want to go with you or not?"

---Because you don't want to go and I would lose you!--- Determination clashed with the desperate rage in Yami's eyes. The dangerous glint in them made Yugi shiver. He stumbled backwards, losing the contact between their bodies. ---I would love to let you decide, but right now I can't allow it. It would hurt me far too much.---

Before Yugi could yell at Yami that there was nothing he could forbid him, the door opened and Sugoroku entered. Both boys looked at him in surprise. They had been too deep in this conversation and had forgotten that he had been directly in front of the door. Yami's gaze darkened, a sneer pulling at the thin line of his mouth.

"Yugi, your mother wants to talk to you. She's on the telephone." The old man went back behind the counter, eyeing their guest suspiciously. His grandson nodded and walked towards the door, pace unsteady and face pale. Yami followed him closely, every step gracefully and showing his proud nature, concentration fixed utterly on Yugi now.

Yugi felt Yami's presence in his back, telling him there was no chance to escape. Even if there was a possibility, a way out, before he would be able to form a plan, Yami would have prevented it. He read his thoughts after all. And somehow he couldn't do the same with Yami, no matter how hard he tried. The mind link only let him experience a few of Yami's feelings. He wondered if he had closed it or something like that.

Shaking his head to clear it of the right now unimportant thoughts, he focused on his major problem, fear making his breathing quicken and adrenaline rushing through his veins. He knew that by leaving the room now, he was utterly helpless. There was nobody and nothing to stop Yami. Even though... he couldn't tell his grandfather about his intentions. By that he would put him in danger. He didn't know what Yami was willing to do if he even risked his hatred. Sighing he closed the door after his look-alike.

---I can't just leave you, that much you should have understood by now,--- Yami told him fiercely, having read his anxious thoughts. ---I need you so much. The thought of being without you forever is unbearable...---

::Sometimes you have to let go, despite all the pain.:: Yugi looked at him sternly for a moment, then turned around and took the waiting receiver. "Hello? Mom?"

"Yugi, my boy, how are you doing?" the cheerful voice of Mrs. Mutou immediately spoke up and Yami flinched slightly beside him, then blinked curiously at the telephone.

---Intriguing,--- was his only comment, before he leant forward to listen to the woman.

::You can't understand her anyway.:: Yugi looked at him for a short moment suspiciously, but turned back to the receiver after a few seconds.

"I'm fine," he answered, forcing a smile into the words. "And my grades are good as well, so don't even ask."

"How did you know I would?" His mother laughed at the other end of the line.

"You always do." Yugi grinned, a bit happier than before. It felt good to talk to her. "And how are you doing in America? When will you be back?"

An audible sigh could be heard. "Oh, Yugi, I tell you they try to throw stones in my way every chance they get! It will take me a while longer than planned, but after those dorks are pursued into publishing the translation of my book, I come back as soon as possible."

Yugi had to force himself to voice his next question, knowing for him it made no difference how long she took. "Promise?"

"Of course, I promise." The loving tone in her voice brought tears to Yugi's eyes. If Yami really proceeded in taking him to Egypt, this was the last time he had the chance to talk to her. The last chance. Last. Yugi forced back a sob. Yami's presence in his back felt crushing.

---Aibou...---

"Mom... I..." He stopped short, trying his best to calm down, not wanting his mother to worry.

"What's it?" The cheerfulness had vanished and Yugi cursed silently. He had to hang up, or else she would know soon. Then she would forget all about her book and come back home, only to find him gone. No, he had to give her some more time.

"Nothing," he lied, finding it hard to sound composed. "I just wanted to say... I miss you. Very much. And – I love you."

"I know, Yugi." If someone was able to sound happy, worried and sad at the same time, his mother managed it. "I love you, too. And I miss you lot there, tell your grandpa as well. I wish I could be at home right now, I have the irresistible urge to ruffle your messy hair."

They both laughed, though Yugi felt hot tears slide down his cheeks. "Yeah, I suppose then I'm happy to have the distance between us, so you can't get your claws on me."

"Just you wait, son." Yugi could almost see her waggle a finger at him playfully. "My time will come."

"Yeah." He fell silent, the impact of what was about to happen to him, pressing down on him hard. Suddenly something at the other end of the line shuffled, a ringing noise could be heard.

"Oh, no." Mrs. Mutou groaned. "I have to go, Yugi, dear. There's someone at the door and I think I know exactly who it is." She sighed. "Time to go back to work, I have a meeting with a manager of the publishing firm. But I'll call tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Nervously Yugi shifted the receiver to his other hand, his throat suddenly hoarse. "Then it's Good Bye, isn't it?" He felt the salty taste of his tears on his tongue and tried to wipe the wetness off his face with his sleeve. It didn't work, it just got wet all over again.

"Yes, Yugi, but we'll talk tomorrow," the reassuring voice of his mother said. "Good Bye." He could hear her yell an exasperated 'I'm coming, stop banging at the door!', before she hung up, ending the telephone call. His hand holding the receiver started to tremble, a sob escaping his throat.

"Bye," he whispered, not daring to turn around to Yami. He dearly wished the other boy

would just go away and leave him alone. Right now he didn't want to understand him or try to accept him. Right now all he wanted was a bit of peace, a bit of time alone, so he could curl up in a deserted corner and cry. Yami was such unsteady a person, always so livid, so confusing...

---Please, look at me, little one.--- Yami sounded strangled, desperate and sorrowful.

Yugi shook his head, his hand tightening around the device, keeping it near his ear, so he could still hear the faint tooting. He didn't want to see Yami, he wanted to go to his mother, wanted to hide in her embrace. To just hide away from the world in her arms. Suddenly there were two hands on his shoulders, forcing him to oblige to Yami's demand. They turned him around swiftly and roughly he was shoved against the wall beside the telephone. The receiver slipped from his grip and hit the floor with a light thud. Hesitantly he looked up at Yami and involuntary gasped. Such sadness and conflict was displayed in his eyes that he had to catch his breath. His look-alike pushed him harder against the wall, glaring at him – as though all this was his fault. Then, much to Yugi's disbelief, tears sprung to his eyes, making them shine brightly in the dimmed light.

---Why...?--- Yami grabbed him by the collar and shook him. ---Why are you doing this to me? Why do you hurt me so much? Why can't you just need me as much as I need you? Why do you need other people more than me? Why can't you understand, why not accept me? Why?! Why all this?! I don't want it to be like this! I don't want to see you cry or run away from me. I don't want to see you look at me that terrified. I don't want to lose you... and no matter what I do, it seems there is no way around it. If I just go back alone, I will never see you again... if I take you with me by force, I'll have you by my side, but it wouldn't be YOU at the same time. I need the real you!" Finally the tears spilled from Yami's eyes, falling to his cheeks, running down to his chin. "What am I to do? Why can't I do anything right? I already lost most of your trust in me, I already scared you and I just cannot go on like this! If I realise my plan, you'll be gone completely. I'm feeling so lost. What can I do? What can I do...?---

Yami pushed him back against the wall, his hands fisting in the clothing he was still holding. His head sank down to Yugi's shoulder, hiding his compromising situation, his temple carefully resting there, the silent tears wetting the school uniform. ---I wish I could stay here forever and forget Egypt. I would give up everything, I would even try to learn your language and adapt to your weird system. I would give up my status as a pharaoh... as hard as it would be to manage all this... if it would please you, if you could accept me that way and learn to trust me. I would do it all. But... but the responsibilities... The shadows have to be controlled by me, there are powers that would be let lose if I stayed here and the connection to my world was gone. I really wish I could just let that happen and shrug it off... but do you know how many people would die? I don't know what to do anymore. I hate it. I hate the helplessness. This feeling makes me... do things I don't want to do. This feeling makes me hurt you, frighten you, when all I want is to be with you and make you happy. Please, please tell me what to do. Help me. Please, help me. Don't tell me to go, don't push me away. Help me...---

Yugi swallowed, having a lump in his throat that deterred him from speaking. Thoughts rushed through his mind at a high speed rate, confusion at having a crying Yami cling to him and begging him to help, clouding it. For a short moment the suspicious thought went through his mind, that all that probably was an act, but he dismissed it as fast as it came. It couldn't be. Yami had been sincere from the start. He always had said what he wanted and what he thought with utter honesty. That he now cried seemed to be impossible, he was a pharaoh after all. Wasn't it a sign of his desperation that he let something like that happen? But... how could he help him? And did he want that?

::Yes.:: That question was simple to answer. One of the very few to be answered simple and clean. He wanted to help. Very much so. He could feel Yami sigh, the air brushing against his neck lightly. She shivered at the delicate tickle on his skin.

---What can I do?--- Yami asked again, his voice small and pained. ---Tell me where to go, what to do, please...---

"I don't know yet." Yugi shifted and took Yami's hands in his, disentangling them carefully of his clothes. The other teen simply let that happen, no resistance in his fingers.

---What am I to do?--- Yami repeated, seemingly not willing to take Yugi's answer as it was.

"First..." Yugi stepped forward, away from the wall and over the small distance between them towards Yami. "...let me hug you."

---Hug?--- The pharaoh sighed again quietly as the smaller boy put his arms around him and pulled him against his body. ---How is that going to help me?---

"It is meant to comfort you, silly." Yugi smiled against Yami's hair, his own fears and problems – though caused by the boy in his arms – for the moment forgotten. "After that we both can think of a solution. Is that okay with you?"

---Yes.--- The taller teen fell silent, his arms coming up to return the hug and they stood in front of the door to the game shop for a while, just holding on to each other, dwelling in the warmth they had created between them. Only the smell of something strange caught their attention and their heads turned to the kitchen simultaneously.

"The cooking!" Yugi shrieked, making Yami duck his head in shock. "No, no, no, no, no!!"

He hurried to the stove, pulling the pot off of the hotplate immediately and opening the window to get the smoke out. "I hope we didn't come too late... I would hate to see the food ruined."

A hesitant tug on his sleeve made him stop in his tracks, look up and into Yami's pleading eyes. He had never seen him like that before and it caused him to blink in surprise and shock. What was it with Yami and the mood swings?

"Yes, Yami?"

---Would you... hug me again?---

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

To Be Continued...

That was it for now. Many of you wanted Yugi to be taken to Egypt, but also many of you wanted him to stay. Wait and see what happens, because it's not over yet.

Well... Yami crying. (looks at the readers) Yes, he is crying. And he is trying to hide his tears from Yugi by hiding his face, though knowing that isn't possible. But there's just no way out for him and Yugi is... an anchor, the centre of his problems and desires. I hope it all sounded like it was meant to.

Review Replies:

Thank you, thank you! You people out there make me so happy!! (hugs everyone) Here, you get a Yugi-cuddly toy!!

There were far too many reviews to answer every single one. I'll put down the names here and answer the first ten to fifteen reviews I got. I think I will do that in future chapters as well. It's fair and I don't have to pick someone out.

Thank you to: **Kohako** (Don't know about the Seto-Jou yet, but I'll think about it), **I love athrun** (That were many reviews. I was shocked, because it was the same sentence to each chapter ), **Towairaito Zoon** (This story owns the world? Of course it does! Muahaha), **reki** (self-heimlich? Does that even exist (laughs) I will be careful with the fluff), **Kagu **(So Yugi shall be taken to Egypt? Poor boy. (cackles)), **Shire **(Thanks, I like dramatic stories), **Osiris-Lee **(Did you know the word 'uber' is a German word? Heh, so you wanted uber-angst?), **PadFootNoxed **(Thanks for putting me to your favs), **SilverWing147 **(Yami a Stalkist?! I have to think about that... Erm... Right, but I don't think Yami watched Yugi shower... or did he? And you're right. Yami had been approving and then... (sighs)), **Maverick Soldier** (Perfectly balanced? I had hoped for that (smiles) Here is the update, so you don't have to lose your sanity! I liked the review), **Chibi-ichii **(Now Yami doesn't show only insecurity, but also weakness. And I don't think I do the Inu-Yasha-thing. Good idea though, it had crossed my mind, too), **Rikainiel **(Don't you like the possessiveness? (grins)), **Hikari Hiei **(Yugi can't keep his distance as long as Yami won't let him, hehe.), **Laryna6 **(Yeah, the trust-issue! Yami, the mighty Pharaoh! Can't let enyone order him around or disobey (snickers) About Egypt: You'll see soon what's going on there, so I don't say anything (winks)), **ime back** (Yami will be less mean in future chapters (pokes Yami) Nee, Yami?), **Hakiri-Nefertiri** (Yeah, Yami is used to just getting everything the easy way. Now that he is in a lose-lose-situation, he can't take it (laughs)), **tiger witch **(Sorry, no Egypt in this chapter. But perhaps in the next one? (nudges Yami) Get him, Yami!), **linkfreak **(Break the puzzle?! Well, THAT would be mean. It would hurt Yami a great deal. I think Yami would just go and crush whole Egypt in his despair =), **Anime Crazed **(Isn't that clear? I thought I explained that many, many times? Okay, you're right, I couldn't explain the whole thing, because that will come up later. Wait and see! (smiles)), **Master Elora Dannan **(Off to Egypt? Yaaaaaamiiii? Could you take Yugi to Egypt? Pleeease? (flutters eye-lashes at him) Well, Yugi would lose everything. Poor boy. Can I really do this?)

Other Review Replies:

**Yana5: **You like Yami being in control? He's a control freak, right? Well, he is the high and mighty Pharaoh after all!

**AmberEyes: **You like that version better? I'm relieved! So I at least succeeded! I had been almost frantic with the last chapter! Thank you for beta-ing! (hugs Amber)

**Pharaoh Atemu's Angel: **Well, you WONDER what happens next and I KNOW it. But there's one disadvantage I have. I have to write it... Waaah! (hits head on the desk)

**Flowacat: **You think Yami was a spoiled brat as a child? Yeah, you may have a point. Well, imagine everyone tells you that you are the highest person on earth as soon as you can understand it. XD And Yugi just says 'No, you're not.' Of course he's pissed (laughes) You sure don't sound like an ice princess (grins) You do like fluff very much, right?

**Sozoku: **But it's not sure if Yami takes him to Egypt or not. Though this chapter showed his uncertainty. Every time I think about Yami taking Yugi to Egypt I have the picture of Yugi in my head, how he is sitting at a window in the palace and staring outside over the villages, longing to get away, then Yami running on and about, trying to cheer him up and not succeeding... sniff... a sad picture. Interesting, but it would shatter Yugi's trust completely and then you could throw the story away, because there is no point anymore. (sighs) Yami is really crazy. Well, thank you for the review.

**YumeTakato: **Yeah, you're right. Everyone keeps on saying 'Poor Yugi, poor Yugi', but what about Yami? Though I must admit, Yami is the one in control of things, so he has the responsibility to use them the right way. Well, thanks for the review!

**Geminidragon: **So you want to see Egypt? Good, because I surely will give a glimpse of it sometime. I Yugi will be abducted or not... well, time will show it!

**Lomedraug: **GOLLUM?! Oookay, you have a point in a way. Keep the Puzzle in mind, it will come up later on and it will be important. Yugi is very possessive when it comes to the puzzle, he would never give it to Sugoroku.

**Yami-loverOB1: **Don't die! Don't die! Here's the next chapter!! I already have a plan how my story is going to go, but your idea is great. So, sorry. I can't use it. And I'm not sure if it would work. Yugi has less power than Yami, how could he block the way back with a power not even equal to Yami's? Yami could break it and then there would be a mess again. Anyway, thank you for the idea and the review!

**SoulDreamer: **Okay, I finally accepted that I write cliched stuff. It's not a bad thing, right? So I write more and wait for doom to get me (yawns) Doom? Ha! I laugh in its face Muahahaha! Anyway, thanks for the review!

My special Review Replies (Some of you had such nice long reviews, I couldn't let them unresponded =))

**Strega: **Ah, there you are! (grins) You liked the last chapter best? I can't believe it, it was so hard for me to write! I even contemplated stuffing it into a folder and leaving it there to never be continued. It had been frustrating! Anyway...

1) You liked the drama? Good, then it was worth the sweat and tears. The desperation grew according to Yami's growing fear, because he realised that Yugi wasn't going to go with him without him forcing him.

2) Great! You understood him! (gives bear hug) I liked your statement 'I I'm not ruler here... I'll take you somewhere I can rule over you.' It's so very true! That's exactly how Yami thinks!

3) Yugi really has backbone in the series, though I like him as the small, poor, little Yugi as well. I tried to keep him a little bit more under control though. You cheered him on? That's nice! Someone has to show Yami how to behave after all (Yami, SIT!) Seriously, Yami needs to learn and Yugi has to have backbone for that, or else the whole story would be pretty pointless with Yugi following Yami everywhere in everything and crying all the time (shakes head)

4) Yes, Yugi gave Yami a second chance, but there would never be a third chance! So if Yami really realises his plan, he shatters everything there had been between them. And to rebuild it must be very, very difficult, if not impossible!

5) Yes, Yami means Yugi's soul, his Ka and Ba, everything that makes him Yugi, but he doesn't mean slavery (though he himself said Yugi would be his slave in Egypt. Bad, Yami. Now wonder Yugi understood it wrong). He wants to have Yugi's Ka and Ba, because then Yugi would be dependent on him and never leave him. The reason for that is quite obvious... Yami gave him his own Ka and Ba, he devoted him everything he is (though Yugi doesn't realise it) and is kind of Yugi's possession (and because of that would never leave Yugi). He needs something in return, something to be sure of. He needs Yugi, because Yugi has his soul. I don't know if you meant it like that (sweatdrop)

6) Yeah, the end was a nasty cliffy. You liked it? I can't believe you liked it THAT much. I was very uncertain about that chapter, but now I'm sure everything went back to going how I want it to go! Well, thank you for the review (and the compliments. You helped me to gain the confidence to continue)!

**Sansi: **Hey, there! Na, alles klar?

Dein jetzt wohl allerlängster Review war ziemlich interessant. Du hast den Punkt gut getroffen, muss ich sagen. Der Großvater und wohl auch die Mutter sind für Yami Yugi's Familie. Würde er ihnen weh tun, würde er auch Yugi weh tun.

Du möchtest also, dass Yami Yugi nicht nach Ägypten verschleppt? Deine Gründe sind gut, genau die, die auch ich im Kopf habe. Yami zögert schon die ganze Zeit und Yugi's Leiden hat ihn letztendlich doch getroffen, auch, wenn noch nicht feststeht, ob sein Wille, Yugi bei sich zu behalten, am Ende doch Oberhand gewinnt. Er hat ziemliche Angst, Yugi zu verlieren.

Das achte Millenniums-Item? Meintest du damit nicht vielleicht den Kino-Film? Ich habe mal in einer Zeitschrift gelesen, da soll es angeblich um ein achtes Milleinniums.Item gehen, aber das stimmte gar nicht. Das war kein Millenniums-Artefakt. Soll es in YGO R tatsächlich ein achtes geben? Hmm... Also, ich würde es mir ansehen, wenn es läuft, aber bei uns läuft ja im Oktober erst mal die neue Staffel an, mit Orichalos (ich habe die DVDs und da sind die bis Folge 155 drauf. Richtig spannend (sigh))

PMS? Ja, ich habe mal nachgeschlagen. Hat, glaube ich, irgendwas mit der Periode zu tun, das stand aber auch nicht genau erklärt, sondern nur, was die Abkürzung bedeutet (sweatdrop)

So, danke für den längsten Review der Welt!! Man sieht sich wohl!! (hug)

**Cheria: **Many, many questions. Yami can't just grab Yugi and run off with him. On the one side, it hurts him to do something like that to Yugi. Though he IS determined, he also feels guilty. On the other side, there's Yugi's grandfather. He is family to Yugi. If Yami killed grandpa, he would hurt Yugi. So Yami can't do that. The other thing you mentioned, what if Yugi threatened to kill himself and how Yami would react... hm. He would be furious, then he would lock Yugi in a room without any sharp objects and pin him down until he is sure that Yugi doesn't want to kill himself anymore. I think it would be like that.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Through the Mirror - Chapter Eleven

Hello, again!

Next chapter, new sappiness. Sorry for the delay. Writer's block is evil! And it was ONE little sentence responsible for it! ONE! Now I deleted it and began anew. Enjoy! Review Replies are at the end of the chapter again.

Ahem, one more thing: Yeah, they are talking very much this time. As always in this story, I think. Is that a good thing or not? I'm not sure. Please, tell me!

---

---Would you... hug me again?---

Yugi merely stared for a moment, surprised. He hadn't expected that question. Yami wanted him to... hug him?

"Of course, if you really want to." Yugi smiled warmly at Yami's genuine joy, closing the small distance between them to grant him his wish. As soon as his hands came to lay on his back though, the other teen returned the hug, this time much more fiercely, more power lying behind his actions. Yugi bit back an embarrassing squeal as he was pressed against the other and blinked at Yami's hair confusedly, which tickled his cheek lightly.

"Um... Yami?", he asked, patting the boy's back carefully. "Please stop that, okay? It's gonna be alright. I'll ask grandpa, I'm sure he knows what to do."

For a moment Yami didn't answer, then an audible sigh ghosted over Yugi's neck, making him shiver. ---I hope so. You know that I still won't leave you here like that. If your grandpa doesn't know what to do, either, I'll find another way to keep you by my side. Even if every way we see is a wrong one, there has to be a hidden path somewhere, leading us to a future together. There has to be a path in the darkness wide enough for the two of us to walk upon side by side.---

'Side by side.' Yugi looked down on Yami's shoulder, on which his chin rested. What did that mean exactly? Side by side... like equals?

---Like equals.--- Yami agreed. ---Like brothers, like lovers, like twins and gods we will be. Even closer than that. Like one soul, one being flowing into the other.---

"I... I..." Yugi swallowed thickly, uncertainly. "I don't understand." A sad sigh. "One moment you want to overpower me, the next you try to make us equal. I don't know what to think anymore."

---I see.--- The pharaoh fell silent for a moment. ---You really don't.---

"Yami?" Confusion – an emotion they both had often felt in their attempts to understand the other – shone brightly in Yugi's eyes.

---You really don't understand that I'm not the one having control over you, do you? You are the one overpowering me.--- Yami paused, shifting his weight, his hands not moving on Yugi's back, stiff and uncomfortable, his mental voice hesitating, admitting to something he seemed to have just recently realised himself. ---I rely on solely your decision, because we're here, here at this place where I have no power. A place where I am a stranger, where I am so small. All I have left is my physical control over the situation. All I have is the capability to direct your steps up to some point at which it would break to pieces and set you free to leave me alone, crush our delicate trust with the sharp edges. I want us to be equal, I want this kind of pressuring dependence to end, want to be a good person in your eyes, not some stranger abducting you, not someone overpowering you and not someone overpowered by you.---

"What control would I ever have?!" Slight sarcasm had made Yugi's voice drop to a deep murmur, growing to anger while he spoke. "I say 'no' and you say 'whatever' and do what you want in the end. I cry and yell at you not to hurt me and you say 'sorry' and do it all the same. I beg you to let me decide for myself if I want to go with you or not. And you? You say you would love to let me decide but couldn't, because you already know I would decide against your will. Is that the kind of equality you were talking about? Me being equal as long as I do exactly what you want? As long as my decisions go along with your demands?"

---You're being bitter.--- Yami's hands fisted in the soft material of his shirt, his facial expression sad and somehow rueful. But Yugi was to angry to let himself stop now. Or to let himself think about what he saw in Yami's eyes.

"Oh, am I?" Irony dripped from his voice, just barely controlled fury breaking lose again. He leant back in Yami's arms, looking him directly in the eye, amethyst burning into ruby. "Stop being so selfish already," he seethed. "I'm getting sick of it! It's always about _you_ having no control, about _you_ being in pain because you don't know what to do and it is always about _you_ feeling lost and helpless because everything you do seems wrong! But it's not just about you and your responsibility! It's not _your_ decision and it's not _mine_, it's _ours_, a decision only two can make if they want to be equal. So don't tell me not to be bitter! It's your concept that contradicts your actions all the time! You tell me the right thing and do the wrong! It hurts me all the time and you are too dense to even see what you are doing! Could you start thinking for once?!"

Yugi had gripped Yami's arms, now almost yelling at him. Yami was pale, his face a dusty colour, dark wide eyes a sharp contrast to the ashen skin. Like deep red pools on white sand. Like blood dripping onto tainted velvet. Silence fell onto the two of them, stuffing the atmosphere with invisible cotton wool, making it difficult to breathe, the wool getting stuck in his throat, burning in his eyes. Yet Yugi could easily see through it. He wasn't allowed to not see the pain edging in on Yami's features. Pain without tears. Pain without anger. It was just pain. Pain caused by him, by his own words, by his own selfishness. A selfishness he had blamed Yami for and felt himself. He forced himself not to avoid his gaze, not to look away, so Yami could see how ashamed he felt. That he wanted to take the mean words back.

---No, you're right.--- Yami was the first to lower his eyes, to break the contact between them by slowly stepping back from him, his hands lingering on Yugi's sides only for a few seconds longer than necessary. ---I am selfish. I always am. Always have been.---

"Why are we hurting each other all the time?" Yugi wanted to cry, wanted to run and hide, at the same time solve this problem for now and forever. "Not you alone are the one being selfish, I am... I am, as well. We both are, because we both... we both are so different and want the same, but in different ways. We both are too complicated, we both are too stubborn, we both have too much at stake. We both can't lose what we love."

---And the situation requires a loss, whatever we do.--- Yami kept his eyes lowered, their colour dull, unfocused as if he suddenly was far, far away. ---We always lose something and that's a thing we can't control. And it gives us a reason to be selfish. You learned to suppress that urge... But I am different. I always used to just get what I wanted, never even thinking about it. I didn't need a special reason. I once wanted a ride on a horse, at the young age of four years. Horses were not easily available in Egypt, only the foreigners owned them. But I wanted one and I got one. The horse threw me off its back, though, and my cousin almost had been killed under its hoofs. That's what my selfish behaviour caused. And I thought I had learned from it. Now I realise how wrong I have been. Nothing has changed. Nothing! I am as selfish as ever and hurt others in the process. You're so right. I know I should stop acting my feelings out like that. I should stop being that little four-year old child demanding to have a horse ten times bigger than it is itself. I should stop being so selfish and demand your heart and soul.--- He pressed his eyes close for a moment, shakings his head, then abruptly looked up, sorrow surfacing in his eyes. ---But it hurts to just let go. It hurts to let go because I already gave everything to you. My heart, my soul... they are yours since I first saw you and I am just so selfish as to demand yours in return. Because if I don't, I'll lose myself.---

"Yami... how...?" Yugi began, but Yami overrode his words with his own, even though his voice was much more quiet now. The boy seemed to talk more to himself than to Yugi as if figuring out something just now.

---The fear of great loss makes people selfish. Imagine what a person could give away if their life is at stake. Or their love. But I am not supposed to be selfish, because I am the pharaoh. I am Ra's child, how could I be so full of frailty?!---

"You are a human being still." Yugi said under his breath. Weren't it for Yami to read his thoughts, he would have missed the words.

---I'm not a mere human being.--- Yami narrowed his eyes to slits. ---The pharaoh is chosen by the gods. He is godly himself. That's how life is. Either the gods favour you or they damn you. And if you don't show them respect and their worth to you, they will send all waters to flood your land or they will let the sun burn everything away.---

"I never showed any of your gods this kind of respect." Yugi murmured, looking at the other boy with deep sincerity. "I don't know your gods that much. I only know what grandpa told me."

---What?--- Shock flashed across Yami's features, his eyes fixated on him unbelievingly. ---You can't tell me you don't worship the holy gods.---

"We have others gods than you. We have only one god."

---Only... one?!--- The pharaoh stared at him, aghast.

"Yes." Yugi nodded. "We build houses for our god like you do for your gods. People believing in him visit him there and show him what he is worth to them, they sing and pray."

---I see.--- A bit flabbergasted Yami lowered his head, seemingly growing wary of his surroundings now. ---Your world is so different to mine. I thought... I always was sure at least the gods were everywhere. Now I hear from you that there is another god. And where are mine to protect me...?---

With a sigh Yugi stepped back close to Yami and hugged him gently, feeling a slight shiver run through him. "I never said your gods are not here." He tried to sound reassuring, made his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "Of course they are around you. Our god is the same as yours. We just define him differently. We see our god, we have angels, who are helping him... But our god is also Ra and Hathor and Bastet. We see only one god, where you see many. You worship all of them."

---My gods aren't the same as your god.--- Yami whispered. ---That would make them fake. Stop telling me something like that. It's not true.---

They fell silent again, Yugi trying to comfort the other boy, who seemed to be lost somehow. His gods seemed to be important to him. They promised him safety. Now he thought they weren't there at all to protect him. Suddenly he was pulled closer to the other body, cradled like a helpless child would cradle a cuddly toy in the dark of the night, fearing the shadows at the walls, thinking of them as demons. And no one could chase away Yami's demons now, because Yugi was no god. He was merely a boy, just as helpless as the cuddly toy, the child would embrace to not feel as alone. Without the light it felt lost. And without his gods Yami felt just as lost, having no security, no wall against all the strange unknown things in this twisted world of bureaucracy and – obviously in his eyes – wrong rights. While standing here in the kitchen, a completely new place to Yami, surely smelling weird, unfamiliarity pouring out of every edge and corner, raining down on his every senses, Yugi realised what it had to be like for him to be here, so many foreign devices, electricity, all that modern stuff. Suddenly he heard all those noises he was so used to. The clock, ticking quietly, the wheezing of the cooker hood, the faint growling of the freezer, a dog barking outside, a car hooting, shuffling from the game shop, a neighbour yelling, the radio from the living room... He would have panicked were he to be Yami. Involuntarily he held on tighter to the other boy. He felt like an ignorant brat, not once having thought about that before much. How did Yami cope with all that? Didn't he feel lonely? Wasn't he afraid?

"Your gods are with you, Yami." Yugi whispered into Yami's ear, feeling how alert he was, how distrusting. He never had met someone who depended on their religion that much. Yami trusted his gods with his heart, had felt secure with the knowledge that they were around all the time.

---How would you know they are here?--- Yami winced weakly into his shoulder, gripping him tightly. The child in the dark room, fearing the demons, mere shadows at the wall. Only light could chase them away. Light... Yugi gasped. He had an idea.

"Yami?" He asked carefully, slipping out of the role of the comforting cuddly toy, gripping Yamis hand and pulling it from his back. "I want to show you something."

He lead the fearful Yami out of the kitchen and into his room, walking over to a bookcase, pushing some of the books out of the way on his search for something long forgotten. The other watched him curiously, but still quite pale, one hand keeping Yugi's left one in an inseparable grip.

"Ah, here it is!" Yugi pulled out a statue, of a man... a man, having the head of a jackal.

---Anubis...--- Yami's hand automatically reached out, snatching the little statue away from the smaller teen. ---How did he get here?---

"Your gods are around you, Yami." Yugi chose not to directly answer Yami's question, Egypt existing here as well. It gave him a feeling of anxiousness whenever he thought about it. Other dimensions... he shuddered. Yami could always decide he wanted to abduct him again. Better not to talk more about Egypt than necessary.

---That's... that's...--- Suddenly and very unexpected for Yugi the created bond between them was wide open. He almost collapsed to the floor as a wave of relief, happiness, joy and many undefinable emotions crashed down on him. So many thoughts, so many questions, fears, overwhelming him. He was pulled into them, saw them all. He could see deeply into the other. Into his heart. Through the haze of their mingled minds, he noticed how Yami flung his arms around him, the small statue still in his one hand, and swung him through the air, laughing freely, his voice, which he had heard so rarely until now, resounding in his ears. Such a deep, soft voice, yet it had the casual edge of fierceness his whole being was known for. But it sounded so right. So right. He delved deeply into the sensation of feeling the other soul so near. He could feel thoughts slip through his mental fingers, thoughts about Egypt, his home, about him, a need greater than anything.

---Yugi?---

He couldn't listen to the voice now. He concentrated on the thoughts Yami had ceased to shield from him, closed his eyes to get nearer, to get a better picture of them. Before his mental sight light flashed, a ball of energy, surrounded by all those thoughts Yami had – now confusion and worry, still a bit happiness. Yugi moved forward, almost touching those thoughts, almost feeling them tickle on his skin. He listened to their murmur, smiling at the warmth he received from them.

'_beautiful' _

A word, clear as water before his eyes. Yugi blinked. It had been directed at him.

'_Open your eyes. I want to see them.'_

---Aibou? Hey, Yugi?!---

More worry. Yugi looked at the thoughts, reached out for another one, intent on finding out why Yami felt that way all of the sudden.

'_Why doesn't he react?'_

Yugi was confused. He crept nearer to the light and the thoughts. What was that light? It was so bright and he couldn't understand what it was. But it was the source of the immense warmth... He reached out to touch it, wanted to feel its texture. It looked to pure, so unreal. So unearthly. His fingers hovered over it, almost reaching their destination...

---Don't!! Don't touch!!--- Suddenly pain shot like electric poison through his veins and he was thrown back, out of Yami's world of thoughts, out of his dreamlike state. The last glimpse he got of the other mind was the realisation of something unknown to him and deep fear of it. Pure shock.

He opened his eyes, gaping, panting for air, finding himself propped up on Yami's chest. He tried to get his vision to clear up, rubbed at his eyes confusedly. What had happened?

---Yugi? Did I hurt you?---

"Hurt?" he mumbled incoherently, his body feeling like frozen. He ignored the weakening tingle in his limbs and swayed a bit as he moved a few steps away from the other. Yami's eyes were full of concern as he glanced up at him.

"'m 'kay." Yugi said, his tongue not quite allowing him to talk properly. It gave him the expression of it being bigger than usual, swollen.

He swallowed, looking at Yami questioningly. What had happened? He knew Yami could read the question in his eyes and mind.

---I... well, I opened the link between our minds.--- The pharaoh shrugged helplessly. ---I wasn't aware of doing it, I forgot to hold the block up.---

Why would Yami want to block him?

Yugi frowned, but just tilted his head to the side to give Yami a sign to continue. He still felt like standing under electricity, his whole body numb and beyond his complete control. He didn't trust his tongue to move the way he wanted. Staying on his two feet alone was impossibly complicated, his legs wanting to give in under him. He stayed where he was stubbornly, though, despite them shaking and giving his weakness away.

---I have to block you.--- Yami didn't look away, spoke to him with his typical sincerity. ---If I don't you could put yourself and me in great danger. A soul is fragile. It breaks. Or it consumes. You can't touch it. You can't even see what it really is, because your mind can't grasp it. Your mind can never show you what a soul is. It's too much to have a thing such simple as an appearance. Never touch my soul, you hear me? Never touch it! Or else we both get killed.---

Yugi now didn't frown anymore, but looked to the floor guiltily. The light had been Yami's soul? He bit his lower lip.

He had been near Yami's soul. Had almost touched it. On the one hand he was proud of being able to get that close to the other, of having the ability to do that, granted by Yami himself, even if he wasn't trusted to be let in freely yet. On the other hand... he had done something very, very dangerous. And he wasn't going to do that ever again.

"'m sorry." He said, truly meaning the words.

Yami smiled at him warmly.

The bitter taste of Yami's distrust in him was the only thing keeping Yugi from smiling back.

---

To Be Continued...

That's it for now. I'm tired, because I have been awake until 6 a.m. in the morning and that throughout the last two days. My own fault, I guess. But I read such a great story, I just couldn't stop reading until my eyes fell shut (sweatdrop). I love the title as well. It's called 'A World Beyond Windows' by Tsutsumi (sighs deeply). It's a German story, one of the few I would call really, really good. Dunno, I don't read very much of the German stuff anymore. But it's the only pairing (Digimon, Taito), where I can say that the German stories are a lot (!!) better than the ones on this site. I checked the ones here out and didn't find that much I liked. Maybe it's just the way the people write Yamato and Taichi (squeals) Well, Yu-Gi-Oh! has better stories here, though (grins). A lot (!!) better.

Now I shall stop babbling meaningless stuff and go on with the **Review Replies**!

A big Thank You to all those who reviewed. I can't answer every single one anymore. I saw my last (and already shortened) Review Replies and they were much too long still. This time they are longer even. Tell me if it offends you.

Thank You to:

**xamosy, AmberEyes23, Isis-san, moonstarfire, Shi Rurouni of the Aphrodesiac, Kagu, Terri, Gallatea Morine, Elvlen-princess9744, Lildudet, CruelAngeLi, Zephyr-Sombra, Rikainiel, Hathors-Favourite, tiger witch, Hikari Hiei, Kyra Windwood, TheTrueSilver, Chibi-Ichii, Cheria, ime back, SilverWing147, YumeTakato, Osirirs-Lee, reki, Hakiri-Nefertiri, Laryna6, Maverick Soldier, Missey, Anime Crazed, i love athrun**

I only fully reply to the first few reviews, because those replies get way to long already. It makes me sad in a way. Many of your reviews are so nice I could babble on for hours.

**Yana5:** You wanted the two of them to go? Hm, there still are my evil, evil plans (grins). Well, again I'm sorry it took me that long to write that chapter. I stopped my other story 'Visitor' to do this one first because it frustrated me. It's weird what one sentence can do to you (sighs) Thank you for the review!!

**Shadow-loverOB1:** You want Yami and Yugi to go to Egypt as well? Well, I would have loved that as well, but I had planned something else already and it would have ended the story, I think, if Yami would have abducted him. And he has to learn after all. (smiles) Thank you for the review!!

**PadfootsNoxed:** Again one for Egypt? (points at the two reviewers above) I remember a lot of people wanting this to not happen... but where are they? Don't worry, there's a lot more planned. Egypt? Maybe... (smiles)

**flowacat:** Whew, I'm so relieved I have friends who can bear my squeals of 'kawaii!!' every day... I couldn't hold them back, I think (grins). Okay, I couldn't do that in front of my classmates, that's for sure. But I can't put up the facade of an ice queen like you do, either. Sometimes I would love to but everyone seems to be able to read my emotions directly from my face (sighs). Bad control over facial expressions -.- Well, to the last chapter: You don't think Yami crying is weird? I really wasn't sure, but I think you're right. He's desperate after all, thinks he loses Yugi. And you liked it? Heh, I love to make you cry 'KAWAII!!' out loud (laughs) Thank you for the review!!

**SoulDreamer:** They both WILL be happy, but not that soon, Muahaha. My evil, evil plan promises more problems for them!! (chuckles darkly) Authors are a pain for their characters! You liked the last chapter? Why, thanks! And I hope, the next chapter comes out sooner than this one. Thank you for the review!

**Mists:** You like how I write Yugi? Hey, most people refer to Yami rather than to him (smiles) I'm glad you mention him as well for once. Mh, I don't know if he's like he's in the series. I'm really not sure. But thank you! Yami does see Yugi's pain all the time, but he wanted to have everything the way he wanted it. Yugi and his home. I hope the reason for that – or at least an aspect of it – got clear in this chapter. He acted selfishly, because he never learned to share or show consideration for anyone else than himself. I'm glad you like my stories that much (grins). And thank you for the nice review!

**Strega:** Hey, there!! (squeals) Phew, what a long review! But I love them! Mh, let's see. So you think the reason for my hesitation with the last chapter was the drastic content? Maybe. I was unsure if it was right to post the chapter like that, although the situation was planned out to be like that. (sighs) Thanks for the nice words. They helped a lot! 1) Hm, I was unhappy with the end of the last chapter because it was too happy all of the sudden after Yugi cried his eyes out. I don't know if my chapters flow into one-another smoothly, but I get your point. Some writer's divide them too much and you get the expression you read a whole new story all of the sudden 2) Yami really thinks Yugi in some way 'owns his soul'. He really does, even if maybe it isn't true. He believes in myths and also that one person can own the other. And because he thinks Yugi 'owns' him (not literally), he yearns to 'own' Yugi as well. A twisted kind of love, but still not like that. I'm not good at explaining it. 3) Thanks! So it's okay for Yami to cry in that special situation. It won't happen again that soon, though. (grins) 4) Yeah, the pharaoh-thing got me hooked as well. It's sad there are so few stories (or are there even any) showing that side of his character without making him a cruel ruler at the same time. Most Egypt-stories are too angsty or too fluffy for my taste. I try to find a base in-between. A pharaoh desperate to get what he wants but not able to, because whatever he does, he loses it. No way out (sighs) Do you know good Egypt-stories? And no, I didn't read Jane Eyre. But you made me curious. Is it a good book? And what is it about? 5) The scene with Yugi's mum was complicated to write, but it seems to have worked the way I wanted it. Yami watching Yugi while he was talking to her... well, I would have liked to really see his face in that moment. I find his face fascinating. 6) Yeah, Yugi should go smash mirrors, instead of hugging Yami. It would grant him some safety. But no, not Yugi. Too hikari to be true. 7) I know you would criticise something you don't like. That makes your reviews that special to me, really! I hope you liked that chapter as well!

**Sansi:** Well, to this story I get the longest reviews of the world! Mh, sorry, aber ich muss dir sagen, dass du mit deiner Vermutung falsch lagst. Ich hab sie zwar Anfangs auch in Betracht gezogen, aber mich dann doch anders entschieden. ((kicher) Jetzt ist es gut, dass so wenige Deutsch verstehen, dann kann ich es dir ja erzählen. Du wirst eingeweiht, zumindest ein bisschen.) Yugi wird nach Ägypten gehen. Mit Yami. Allerdings wird das dann nicht erzwungen sein, obwohl ich glaube, dass das einigen gefallen hätte. Na, ja. Wie das alles zustande kommt und wie lange und ob für immer oder nicht, sage ich dir aber nicht. Da musst du selber drauf warten und zuschauen. Es wird schwierig werden, aber ich kämpfe mich da schon durch (grins). Ich habe da auch eine ganze spezielle Idee, die alles noch viel komplizierter machen wird. Wieso mache ich es mir nur immer so schwer?!

Es wurden irgendwie keine neuen Folgen von Yu-Gi-Oh! gezeigt (pout... growl) Dabei hab ich das von mehreren Seiten gehört. Nur auf RTL2.de steht natürlich wieder NICHTS. Da steht aber auch nie was. Nya, dann höre ich mal auf. Die Review Replies sind viel zu lang!! Thanks for the long, looong review!!


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